Alliance OR Sensors and Sensibility
by YangtzeeKiang
Summary: OK, this IS a long, long story so you may want to print it out. I devised a character for myself and this is his story of how he dealt with his hatred of the Borg and eventually he saved their entire species'. Hope you enjoy.


Star Trek  
  
"Alliance"  
  
Written By Benjamin F. Ossoff  
  
REVISED AND UPDATED EDITION II  
  
To all those who boldly go where no one has gone before.  
  
Section 1  
  
Chapter 1  
  
"Cosmic Thoughts"  
  
The runabout, Roanoke, sped through the void of space, stars streaked by the window. It bore a single passenger, T'aev, son of Tou'San. He had recently been rescued from a deserted M-class planet a sector away. It had been barren, hot and inhospitable. But, …he wasn't thinking about that now, at least for the moment. T'aev was remarkably intelligent for his age. No one was quite sure whether he had been genetically enhanced or was just a prodigy, or both. And as strange as it would seem, he wasn't thinking about the impending interrogations at Deep Space 9 either; which could very well decide his fate. He gazed out the window without really seeing the stars at all. No… his thoughts were elsewhere. No less than a week ago he had been on the Starship Voyager, in the Delta Quadrant, as a member of her crew.  
  
He had been wrong to attempt to relay the plasma from the nacelles through the EPS conduits. At any moment the conduits could have overheated and exploded. It was unwarranted gamble but it was the only way to get the power needed to activate the long-range transporter. The transport itself had been a huge risk. One malfunction in the process could have destroyed Voyager, and may have for all he knew. If it did, the lives of all those people he had known would be on his conscience. Captain Janeway for example, an ambitious, problem solving, "Failure is not an option" type of person. Excellent qualities that he had taken care to integrate into himself. The memories of the rest of the crew lingered in his head. They may be dead.  
  
You killed them, He thought.  
  
But then again they might be alive and thinking that he was dead. Slowly he let his thoughts wonder, he thought as far back as he could remember and an image took shape in his mind's eye… shades of green and blue gradually formed a view; the cockpit of a Romulan telemetry shuttle. There was his father, Subcommander Tou'San, seated at the science station. The view changed, now he was looking out on the viewscreen, a warbird loomed ahead of them.  
  
"The Kehlah reports they are ready to begin tests," said the communications chief.  
  
What tests? He thought, then he remembered, they were experimenting with a temporal warp drive system. It would allow them to attack enemies in the past so that even if the coming armadas were spotted it would be too late.  
  
"Very well," responded the Centurion "Tou'San, begin you scans."  
  
"They've begun the process," reported his father "they're injecting the chronometric particles into the plasma flow."  
  
"Is the warp field holding?" asked someone.  
  
"Yes, the warp field is stable and… wait, its going unstable!"  
  
"Report!"  
  
"The chronometric particles are causing the plasma to revert to Matter and Antimatter!"  
  
"Will the components remerge in time?"  
  
"Negative, they're already causing an explosion"  
  
The viewscreen confirmed this indefinitely.  
  
"Evasive Maneuvers, get us out of here!" ordered the centurion as the warbird exploded.  
  
"Too late!"  
  
On the viewscreen appeared some sort of distortion. A distortion that was pulling them in!  
  
"Take us away from that thing."  
  
The tiny vessel shuttered from the pull.  
  
"We can't resist its pull!"  
  
Consoles exploded all around, sparks flew in all directions. The command center was shrouded in smoke.  
  
Finally he spoke up "Centurion, I suggest we shut down the engines so we'll have a chance at surviving this!"  
  
Like the centurion would listen to a 3-year-old, advanced intellect or no advanced intellect! But to his surprise the centurion responded,  
  
"Excellent Idea, take the engines offline and transfer that energy to the Shields."  
  
His father turned and smiled at him approvingly. Then the craft was jolted again. Then again, more sharply than before! Then a sharp impact to his head.  
  
Blackness.  
  
Chapter Two  
  
"Time Shift"  
  
"Peter? Peter wake up!"  
  
It was his father speaking to him. He had always called him Peter, T'aev didn't know why, he just did. Slowly his eyes opened and there was his father hanging over him. Relief spread across the Romulan's face.  
  
"Where are we?" T'aev asked as his father.  
  
"We were just about to find out," interrupted the centurion.  
  
Then T'aev noticed the other crewmembers. He gazed at their bodies for a moment until his father explained that which did not need to be explained, "They're dead."  
  
"T'aev, operate the helm," ordered the centurion. "Tou'San scan the area."  
  
"Understood," said Tou'San more to the science station than to the centurion. "I'm picking up no debris, or evidence of the explosion anywhere."  
  
"On the long range sensors as well?"  
  
"Affirmative, it's as though the explosion didn't happen at all."  
  
"Or hasn't happened yet," cut in T'aev "Scan space time, I have a suspicion that stray chronometric particles may have caused that distortion earlier…"  
  
"…And effected our position," Tou'San completed his sentence "I'm scanning "sir""  
  
T'aev remembered abruptly that he wasn't in command and with a trace of embarrassment said "Sorry, sir."  
  
"Never mind that, you were right, space time is about 100 years younger here. My best guess is the year 2281."  
  
"Which means?" blurted the centurion.  
  
"Which means our grandparents haven't even been born yet."  
  
Tension hung in the air. Thoughts raced by in a blur, how will we get back, if can't get back what will we do?  
  
"Is there any way to return to our century?"  
  
"No, sir; it appears the distortion closed behind us."  
  
The was a pause as this sunk in then "Very well, set course for the homeworld."  
  
"Yes, centurion."  
  
"Engage."  
  
=/\=  
  
The shuttle arrived in orbit around Romulus 3 days later. It was a spectacular sight, to T'aev at least, he had never seen a planet before, from space or otherwise. Ships were all he had ever seen so he had grown to regard them as home. He had been born on one and felt space was his home. The ship's computer was his only source of information. For the past three days he had learned everything he could about temporal mechanics because of his time shift; and as it turned out he was very interested in the subject. T'aev was a sponge for information, he had learned to talk, read and write in one year of his life, the second year came sentience and the need to learn about his surroundings. In the last few months learning was a priority so he had memorized all the information he could get his hands on.  
  
His father was a huge influence on him. He had helped T'aev lay out a strict plan for his life, which was quite simply to contribute in a positive way to the in which he lived. To do this he had laid out a strict code of right and wrong, good and evil. Subcommander Tou'San was not like most Romulans in that conquest was not his concern, instead, the gathering of knowledge was his primary interest. The events that followed their arrival in orbit displayed these qualities and changed T'aev's view of life forever.  
  
"We have arrived in orbit." Reported Tou'San.  
  
"Prepare to land." Responded the centurion.  
  
"Shouldn't we beam down and set the shuttle to detonate."  
  
"Why would we do that?"  
  
"To prevent interference with the timeline."  
  
"'To prevent interference with the timeline,'' mocked the centurion "The technology in this craft could allow the empire to defeat its enemies."  
  
"But at the cost of millions of lives!"  
  
"Casualties of war."  
  
"But what if one of those casualties happens to be the next praetor!"  
  
"The empire will find a new leader."  
  
"What if the influential figures in history are destroyed? Can they too be replaced?!"  
  
"Are you questioning my authority?"  
  
"Yes and I will continue to do so if you continue to try to start a war! I will defend the timeline with my life."  
  
"Then you shall do so!"  
  
The centurion produced a dagger and struck at Tou'San. Tou'San quickly dived out of the way and struck the centurion in the back. The centurion turned and dove at Tou'San again. Tou'San saw this and caught the centurion and hurled him against the communications station. The centurion yelped in pain as sparks and shards of glass hit him, he prepared to strike again with his dagger but found that he no longer had it, so he instead dove at Tou'San's neck. Tou'San again caught him but this time directed the centurion into the aft section of the craft. After pushing the centurion through the door he stepped back and sealed the door, rushed to a console and began entering commands into it. There was soon a hiss of air as the aft section was depressurized, suffocating the centurion. T'aev could see pain in his father's eyes. Tou'San was not a killer, but he had been forced to kill. T'aev now realized the horror of death; he swore to himself never to do such a thing.  
  
Together they set the shuttle to explode leaving no remains. They transported down to the surface after developing a cover story. Here they would make new lives for themselves. The shuttle exploded as planed. Now they would be forced to live in the past. Here they would stay, Forever.  
  
  
  
Chapter 3  
  
"Disaster"  
  
Four Years Later  
  
T'aev strode through the corridors on his way to the bridge. He was still as young and as a consequence awkward because of his intellect as ever. But it was different here; The Alliance Project needed people like him for the mission. The USS Romulus was of generational design so it needed young officers to train the next crew. He reviewed the facts in his mind,  
  
The Alliance Project was formed in 2284 as a joint exploration mission to explore this galaxy and the surrounding ones if possible. It was also a little more; it was made up worst enemies in galactic politics. But here you would never have guessed that the United Federation of Planets, The Romulan Star Empire, and the Klingon Empire were at war. Here they had joined together to explore as allies. If only the rest of the galaxy could see that it was possible for enemies to become allies. But their governments classified the mission. In 2285 they left their home never to return. The vessels gathered for this mission were the USS Romulus NCC-7406- C, the USS Luna NCC-7406-A, the USS Terra NCC-7010, and the IKS Ouo'Nos.  
  
All were the best that each empire had to offer. The USS Romulus which T'aev served aboard as Morale officer and Secondary science officer was the best of all three, with 10 warp drive systems and the best weapons and sensors it classified as the most advanced in the Quadrant and the known galaxy. They were now about to leave the known galaxy for that which was beyond.  
  
Before their departure it was necessary to ensure that any cloaked ships which could attack at any moment were not following them. To do this they would bombard subspace with Tachyons, which if there were any invisible ship around, would cause a reaction making them visible. He arrived at the bridge and took his seat at Science II.  
  
"Are you ready ensign?" asked Captain L'Tal  
  
"Yes, sir ready to begin Tachyon bombardment on you orders." Chirped back the science officer, Ensign Jansen. She was as old as he was, and one of the few people who could beat him in the tactical stradegy games in the Holo-activity room. She had a tendency to smile at him from her console in a friendly way. And he smiled back. Just knowing her made existence worthwhile.  
  
"You may proceed."  
  
"Aye sir, firing the Tachyons on the portside."  
  
"Results?"  
  
"Nothing over there, sir"  
  
"And to the starboard?"  
  
"Definitely getting a reading over there, but nothing is becoming visible."  
  
There was a slight jolt of sudden acceleration. Slight yes, but enough to make them hold on to their seats. Soon, however there was no need to hold on as they were pressed into the back of their chairs by the incredible speed.  
  
"Report!"  
  
"We appear to be traveling at Transwarp velocities… warp 10."  
  
"How is that possible?"  
  
"I don't know yet."  
  
The vessel slowed and eventually came to a complete stop. The crew gathered themselves.  
  
"All stations report."  
  
"All decks report no casualties, no damage."  
  
"The other vessels experienced that as well." Reported the communications chief.  
  
"So what was that?" queried the captain.  
  
"It appeared to be a directed subspace "shortcut" or corridor of some kind, and it's artificially created."  
  
"A transwarp corridor?"  
  
" You could call it that, sir."  
  
"So where are we?"  
  
"Sensors indicate, 50,000 light-years from where we were."  
  
There was a long lingering silence. The surprise, the fear, the anticipation, and the dread were all very evident; it didn't take an empath to notice. The silence was broken when Captain L'Tal spoke.  
  
"Well it looks like we got lucky."  
  
"Lucky?"  
  
"Yes, after all the goal of this mission was to explore and we've just been handed an opportunity to do just that."  
  
No one questioned that.  
  
"Sir, we are being scanned, deep probe very quick."  
  
"What is the source of the scan, ensign?"  
  
"There is a ship ahead, bearing 330 mark 000; it's on an intercept course."  
  
The captain certainly had the crew well trained, they answered questions then explained the answer in simpler terms.  
  
"On viewer." Ordered L'Tal.  
  
T'aev had been listening the whole time but only now he looked up from his console. To the left side of the viewscreen appeared a vessel, it was rigid and complex yet it's basic shape was simple, a cube.  
  
"Doesn't look like it could go very fast considering its shape." T'aev thought out loud.  
  
"I agree," concurred Ensign Jansen, the science officer "and according to sensors it shouldn't be traveling that fast."  
  
"This is not the time or place to discuss warp field theory, ensigns." interrupted the captain.  
  
"Yes, sir." They both replied.  
  
The captain nodded and turned to the tactical officer "Time to intercept?"  
  
"Less than a minute."  
  
Before they knew it the ship was over them. If they weren't just seeing it on a view screen he was sure it would have darkened the room with it's shadow.  
  
The communications chief spoke, "The other ships say they were scanned as well."  
  
Jansen reported, "The vessel is now bearing 010 mark 045 and holding."  
  
"The vessel is scanning us again." T'aev informed the captain.  
  
"I recommend we raise the shields." Cautioned the klingon tactical officer. T'aev enjoyed working with the Klingons, because of their lust for life and warrior heritage. The young Romulan had quickly learned to follow the teachings of Kahless the Unforgettable in his every day life. However, he felt the klingon had misjudged the alien's intentions in a second scan and so did the captain,  
  
"No, they're just as curious as are we; scan them, ensigns."  
  
T'aev and Jansen turned away from the viewscreen and back to the science consoles and then reported, Jansen then T'aev.  
  
"I doesn't appear to have any bridge or command center as we know it."  
  
"There isn't any engineering section, either."  
  
L'Tal considered this for a time and then spoke,  
  
"No bridge, no main engineering, how is it run?"  
  
"Unknown, I'm reading no life signs at all," informed T'aev.  
  
"A probe?" speculated Jansen.  
  
"Possibly, that would explain the repeated scans."  
  
Jansen glanced down at her console then said,  
  
"But why would a probe have weapons? I am reading weapons, their exact configuration unknown."  
  
"The purpose of weapons on a probe would be to defend it," the klingon behind them added.  
  
Their conversation was interrupted when the tactical console beeped loudly. The klingon looked down at the console and reported with alarm in his voice,  
  
"Sir, something just materialized on deck 14, it's either a mechanism or a humanoid lifeform, I cannot be certain."  
  
"How can there be difficulty distinguishing machine from man!?" interrogated the captain.  
  
The klingon did not answer instead he reported, "We are being hailed, audio channels only."  
  
"On speakers."  
  
The message that came over the speakers was a chilling sound, so chilling that it could stiffen a Breen. It sounded like thousands, no millions speaking at once,  
  
"We are the Borg. We have determined that you pose no threat to our vessel. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Resistance is Futile."  
  
The captain abruptly ordered after hearing that, "Raise shields, Red Alert. That certainly sounds hostile, now doesn't it?  
  
They agreed, of course. Then the blood freezing voice came over the speakers again,  
  
"Lower your shields and surrender your ships. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile."  
  
"We'll just see about that," retorted the captain, "Lock weapons and fire a warning shot."  
  
The weapons fired but the vessel apparently didn't understand a warning shot. The Romulus rocked as it was hit by a shot from the Borg ship.  
  
"Alright, if you want a fight we'll give it to you," the captain said to the Borg who of course weren't listening to him, "Fire Disrupters at full intensity. Tactical, what about that thing on deck 14…"  
  
The klingon cut him off, "Captain, we just lost all contact with deck 14!"  
  
"Send a security team to investigate."  
  
The ship was jolted again; the helm officer was thrown 5 feet from his console. T'aev and Jansen struggled to maintain their posts. Jansen shouted to the captain,  
  
" Plasma conduit 3A just ruptured!" Another sharp jolt. "Nacelles 3 and 4-A just exploded, I suggest that we cut off the plasma flow to that section!"  
  
"Good thinking. Do it!"  
  
The ship rocked again, an overhead circuit panel suddenly popped open and a stream of sparks came flying out as well as a clump of wires.  
  
"Sir," shouted the Klingon officer, who was now burnt and bloody over the noise, "We just lost contact with deck 13 and all the lower decks!"  
  
"And the security team?"  
  
"They are on intercom channel-A."  
  
"Let's hear them!"  
  
"On speakers,"  
  
"You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile."  
  
"Well apparently we know who our intruder was and that they must be capable of controlling our crew!"  
  
Another jolt rocked the bridge.  
  
"Captain, the USS Luna is turning and has locked their weapons on to us!"  
  
"What?! Helm, lay in a course for … anywhere but here and engage at best speed available!"  
  
"Sir, the engines are offline," spoke the bruised and battered helm officer as the ship rocked again.  
  
"Nacelle 1C just blew up!" yelled Jansen.  
  
T'aev by this time was seeing green and was knocked from his station by the tremendous force of another blast from the Borg.  
  
"We just lost almost the entire area of nacelle arm C! Nacelles 3, 4, and 5C just exploded as well as 2, 3, 4, and 5D, and we're barley holding on to 2C!" reported Jansen at the top of her lungs.  
  
The Klingon in a barley understandable voice, almost in Klingon cried out, "We no longer have contact with deck 5 and the decks below it!"  
  
T'aev stood wobbly and made his way to Science II. The ship was battered by another barrage of fire. Consoles smashed and crewmen fell.  
  
"The Luna just destroyed nacelle 1B and blew out the thrusters on nacelle 4B."  
  
The ship bucked and shook. Damage reports didn't matter anymore. The crew just held on for dear life. A shout came from Science I,  
  
"Sir, Nacelle 1C appears to be … regenerating!"  
  
"Explain."  
  
"It's re-growing like damaged skin tissue and I can't explain it!"  
  
A Klingon voice from behind the science stations shouted, "All decks except this are not responding, it could be a minor technical malfunction."  
  
Or not, suggested a loud slam from behind the door to turbolift 1. Something was trying to get in!  
  
"Clear the bridge!" ordered L'Tal.  
  
Everyone, except T'aev, headed for turbolift 2. T'aev instead made his way to the Jeffries tube access way, and climbed the latter to the hatch. He was almost pulled away by another shock, but he made it to the hatch, opened it and climbed in. As he turned, he caught sight of some beings that looked like zombies with wires in their heads that had just entered the bridge. They were injecting the other officers in the neck. Then he saw Ensign Jansen her face frozen in terror as tubes were injected into her neck like the rest. Then the face of one of the 'zombies' appeared in the hatch to the Jeffries tube. T'aev quickly clamped shut the hatchway turned and crawled for his life! Behind him came the sound of a saw slicing into the hatch. The ship no longer rocked. It became clear why, the Borg thought they had conquered the ship. He hoped they were wrong. The image of Jessica Jansen the only person he could almost call friend's face frozen in shock reverberated within him. Was it true what they had said, was resistance futile?  
  
  
  
  
  
Section 2  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"Bermuda"  
  
USS Voyager, NCC-74656  
  
Stardate 51931.3  
  
  
  
  
  
Captain Janeway sat in her ready room pouring over sensor read-outs. She was tired. She turned to get another cup of coffee from the replicator; but the door chime stopped her.  
  
"Come in."  
  
In stepped a small girl, Naomi Wildman. The captain had expected Tuvok or Chakotay, so Wildman was a pleasant surprise. Janeway spoke,  
  
"Crewman, shouldn't you be in your quarters?"  
  
"I thought I needed to speak with you." Responded Naomi.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I was reading today and read some things that I thought you might take into consideration," Crewman Naomi Wildman said formally, as usual.  
  
"Well what did you read?"  
  
"Lost ships, ones that disappeared."  
  
"And you're concerned that Voyager might disappear?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well it won't happen because I won't let…"  
  
The door chimed again.  
  
"Come in." repeated Janeway almost annoyed. The door opened and Tom Paris entered.  
  
"I hope I'm not intruding."  
  
"No you're not, Ensign, what is it?"  
  
"We just got back with the Dilithium." Reported the Ensign.  
  
"Alright, can B'Elanna use it?"  
  
"Yes, she's already installing it."  
  
"You'll let me know when we can resume course for the Alpha Quadrant."  
  
"Yes, captain." He started to leave then stopped, "What were you discussing anyway?"  
  
"Naomi's worried about lost ships 'the ones that disappeared.'"  
  
"Like the Bermuda Triangle on Earth?"  
  
"Yes, and they still can't explain what happened to those ships."  
  
"And Airplanes." Added Paris.  
  
"I wasn't referring to things like that." Interrupted Wildman.  
  
"Then what do you mean?" asked Janeway.  
  
"I mean spaceships; the Charybdis, and the Voyager VI probe."  
  
"But there were always explanations for those. The Voyager VI returned as V'Ger and evolved to a higher level of being. The Charybdis was destroyed by aliens accidentally."  
  
"There were others too."  
  
"Yes, the starship USS Terra."  
  
"And the USS Luna, they both disappeared right out of the dry-docks orbiting Earth at around the same time."  
  
"I guess there may be some reason to be afraid but as I said, 'Voyager won't disappear,'" said Janeway.  
  
"Alright, captain," responded Wildman.  
  
"Dismissed, both of you."  
  
"Yes, captain." They both said at once and left. Janeway turned to get a cup of coffee from the replicator.  
  
Lost Ships, she thought, wouldn't it be interesting to find out what happened to them. Out of curiosity she decided to look it up on the computer,  
  
"Computer, open and display all available information on the starships Luna, and Terra."  
  
The computer 'thought' for a moment then spoke,  
  
"Federation starships USS Luna and USS Terra information is as follows,  
  
USS Luna, Excelsior-class, registry NCC-7406-A  
  
Crew complement 500 total  
  
Last known location, San Francisco Starfleet yards- Dry-dock 6A.  
  
Current location, Unknown.  
  
Status: Missing.  
  
USS Terra, Constitution-class refit, registry NCC-7010  
  
Crew complement 430 total  
  
Last known location, San Francisco Starfleet yards- Dry-dock 6B  
  
Current location, Unknown.  
  
Status: Missing.  
  
Both vessels' construction began circa 2284, completed circa 2285. USS Luna disappeared 19:03 hours on stardate 8130.3. USS Terra disappeared 19:15 hours on stardate 8130.3."  
  
"Computer, are there any related files regarding lost ships? Search non- federation memory banks as well." Requested the captain.  
  
"Affirmative."  
  
"Play related files," she ordered sipping her coffee.  
  
"Other lost ships include,  
  
USS Reliant, Miranda-class, registry NCC-1864  
  
Crew complement 230 total.  
  
Captain Terrell commanding officer. Vessel captured orbiting Seti-Alpha V stardate 8130.3 by Khan Noonien Singh. Destroyed by Khan in Mutara Nebula using Genesis device resulting in the creation of the Genesis planet which later destroyed itself.  
  
Last location, Mutara Nebula.  
  
Status: Destroyed.  
  
USS Constellation, Constitution-class original configuration, registry NCC- 1017  
  
Crew complement 430 total.  
  
Commodore Matthew Decker commanding officer.  
  
Severely damaged by planet killer device. Later used to produce large explosion destroying…."  
  
"Computer," cut in Janeway, "Display related files regarding space vessels that are listed as missing."  
  
"Opening files, non-federation memory banks,  
  
IKS Quo'Nos, Klingon vessel, K'tinga-class  
  
Crew Complement 50  
  
Last known location, Quo'Nos Orbital Fleet Yards.  
  
Status: Klingon government reports that vessel was destroyed in battle, however evidence shows that the Quo'Nos disappeared from Klingon Dry-dock 3A at 18:03 hours on stardate 8130.3 and possibly engaged warp engines at course heading 350 mark 005."  
  
"Computer, confirm, would that heading take a vessel through Romulan space then beyond all known space in the 23rd century?"  
  
"Affirmative."  
  
"Computer, are there any more files regarding or related to the starships USS Luna and the USS Terra?"  
  
"Affirmative."  
  
"Display the files."  
  
"Unable to comply."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
No response. Then she remembered,  
  
"Computer, why not?"  
  
"Data is inaccessible."  
  
The questions then came up in her mind. Why would a Klingon vessel attempt to leave known space and by passing through enemy territory? Why can't the additional files be accessed?  
  
She decided that she wouldn't think about it now, instead she returned to her quarters and slept.  
  
  
  
Chapter 5  
  
"Something is going to happen…"  
  
The next morning the crew was on the bridge, except for Seven of Nine, who was of course in Astrometrics. Everything was progressing normally as things usually are before something out of the ordinary happens. Torres had recently completed installing the new Dilithium crystals into the warp drive, and they prepared to start back on their way to the Alpha Quadrant. Captain Janeway just to have something to do said,  
  
"Report."  
  
"Helm ready to engage warp," reported Ensign Paris.  
  
"Tactical ready, all weapons and shields on standby, Cruise mode status." Said Tuvok.  
  
"Something on long range sensors, toward the edge of this solar system there is a high concentration of high energy plasma." Kim announced.  
  
"A plasma storm?" questioned Janeway.  
  
"Negative, it's almost like a natural matter/anti-matter reaction is taking place."  
  
"That's something I'd like to see. Mr. Paris lay in a course to investigate that anomaly."  
  
"That won't be necessary," interrupted Ensign Kim, "the anomaly is already on an intercept course, very slow, but it will arrive within the next 2 hours."  
  
=/\=  
  
One and one half hours later the turbolift doors on the bridge opened and in stepped Captain Janeway,  
  
"Report on the anomaly." She ordered.  
  
"It is within visual range and is slowing as it closes in." reported Ensign Kim.  
  
"On screen."  
  
The viewing screen changed its image and the plasma disturbance became visible. But it wasn't swirling gases as they expected instead appeared …a ship. It was large; more like immense, with four large 'wings' placed in an X shape pattern, there were burnt marks on every one of them. One of the large 'wings' was almost completely blow off and all that remained was a long thin tube that looked like a Plasma conduit. One of the wings was leaking plasma, which explained the disturbance. The center of the assembly was painted like a giant bird of prey, like all Romulan ships were in the 23rd century; indeed there was a Romulan seal painted on one of the wings. Captain Janeway spoke,  
  
"Tuvok, what do make of that thing?"  
  
"The vessel appears to be a mix of Federation, Klingon, Romulan, and Borg design. However it should be noted that the Borg technology appears to have been integrated through assimilation rather than in the original construction. Sensors are unable to penetrate the hull so I am unable to provide an analysis of the interior."  
  
"Could we send over an away team?"  
  
"There is a transport inhibitor in operation surrounding the vessel. And I feel obligated to point out that the high concentration of Borg technology may indicate danger to anyone who boards the derelict."  
  
"Quite right, Mister Tuvok." She tapped her Comm-badge. "Janeway to Astrometrics."  
  
"This is Seven of Nine, Captain."  
  
"Seven, have you been scanning the vessel ahead?"  
  
"I have."  
  
"Have you been able to determine what's inside."  
  
"No, there is a scan reflecting field as well as a transport inhibitor active. I am currently attempting to scan the interior."  
  
"I'm on my way down there to help, Janeway out." Janeway strode toward the door, "Chakotay, you have the bridge."  
  
In Astrometrics the alien vessel rotated on the screen. Janeway stood beside Seven of Nine, they both gazed up at the screen.  
  
"Tuvok said that it may have been assimilated by the Borg," Janeway said too herself and then turned to Seven of Nine, "Do the Borg have any knowledge of this ship?"  
  
"No, however this vessel does show evidence of having been assimilated."  
  
"Have you found a way to scan the inside?"  
  
"I believe so; I will use a rapid scan on a high frequency which should prevent the scan reflector from preventing our scan."  
  
"Go ahead."  
  
Seven entered commands into the console, then the screen displayed incomplete cross-sections of the interior. They both examined this then Seven turned to Janeway and reported,  
  
"This vessel appears to have originally had 10 full warp drive systems. It's designation is USS Romulus NCC-7406-C."  
  
"But that's a Federation registry, the ship appeared to be Romulan vessel. Why would the Federation name a ship after one of the twin Romulan home- worlds?"  
  
"Unknown, however that data does not seem relevant." Seven then checked the telemetry and with almost a hint of shock said, "I am reading a single humanoid life form."  
  
"Bridge to Janeway." Came Chakotay's voice.  
  
"Janeway here, what is it bridge?"  
  
"The ship is hailing us."  
  
"On my way; Janeway out."  
  
Chapter 6  
  
"…Something Wonderful."  
  
  
  
Janeway arrived at the bridge,  
  
"Report." she ordered.  
  
"The ship scanned us several times then hailed us, audio only." Reported Kim.  
  
"On speakers."  
  
A beep from the computers signaled that the speakers were on and a deep voice said,  
  
"This is Ensign Yar, current commanding officer of the Alliance starship USS Romulus, please respond."  
  
Janeway responded, "This is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation starship Voyager."  
  
"You say you are Federation; excuse me, but I must confirm this." The was background sound of a console beeping, then, "Captain, according to my computer library there is no starship Voyager, would you mind providing your registry number?"  
  
"Our registry is NCC-74656."  
  
"There are five digits in that number, the Starfleet standard is four. None the less, if you are you are truly from the Alpha Quadrant, tell me, who said: "Logic is the cement of our civilization to which we ascend from chaos using reason as our guide.""  
  
"T'Planti'Hath, matron of Vulcan philosophy. Why?"  
  
"You are with the Federation!" the ensign cut her off," I'm pleased have encountered you. My congratulations to your science officer for breaking through the scan reflecting field. I was unaware the Federation had ships in this Quadrant."  
  
"It doesn't, we we're brought here against our will and are trying to get home."  
  
"You and me both."  
  
"Ensign, our scan reads you as the only life form on your vessel. What happened to the crew."  
  
"We encountered a group of hostile cybernetic life forms, calling themselves the Borg. They attacked our ship and captured the crew who later died."  
  
"You said that your ship is an Alliance starship. What exactly does that mean?"  
  
"The information is classified, however, if I could beam over I could disclose the data to you alone."  
  
"Why would you be willing to give us this classified data?"  
  
"You say you are Starfleet, I would as a consequence confirm this visually by beaming over. Should you prove to be who you say you are, I would, to further understanding and diplomacy between us provide you with the data."  
  
"I understand." Janeway responded, "Would you mind establishing visual communications? It might help you confirm who we are."  
  
"I'll try." In the background there was the sound of a short circuiting wire and then a slight yelp of pain, "Looks like I can't, captain. Would you approve if I were to beam over at 17:00?"  
  
"Yes, you may beam over."  
  
"Then I will see you at 17:00."  
  
"Hailing frequencies closed." The speakers cut off and Tuvok spoke,  
  
"Are you certain, captain, that you can trust him?"  
  
"I'm not. So I'll post security guards in the transporter room as a precaution."  
  
"That is a wise decision. It would appear that the ship was assimilated and the crewman you just spoke to was a sole survivor."  
  
"But why is the crew dead? The Borg would have merely assimilated them."  
  
"Unknown. When he boards will may know."  
  
"Let's hope the answer doesn't endanger the crew."  
  
=/\=  
  
In the transporter room the command crew awaited the arrival of the mysterious crewman from an unknown vessel, apparently from the Alpha Quadrant. There had been speculation that the vessel was in fact trap layed by the Borg and the crewman was in fact a Borg drone which would assimalate the crew upon boarding. However Seven of Nine denonced this idea in making the comment, "The Borg do not lay 'traps'. If the collecive wished to assimilate Voyager, they would do so by force.". In the transporter chamber a beam energized and a tall male with blond hair wearing a red uniform from the late 23rd century materialized. He had pointed ears they immediately observed. The ensign was carrying a tricorder, medical tricorder, medkit, three hyposprays, and a Romulan disrupter pistol. Captain Janeway noticed the disrupter and spoke,  
  
"Ensign, there was no need for you to arm yourself."  
  
"Oh? You seem to see some reason to carry arms," retorted the crewman, who was much younger than they had anticipated.  
  
"I am unarmed."  
  
"True, but the security men at the door are carrying type one phasers which are just are lethal as type two in the hands of an expert. And in case you haven't noticed, you also bear one weapon not only deadly to me, but to you as well. If I were you I'd beam it into space immediately."  
  
"To what threat are you refering?''  
  
"The Borg drone," said the ensign gesturing toward Seven of Nine, "I don't know if you realize what it's capable of. Just one took over our entire ship in less than an hour."  
  
"Seven of Nine is no longer part of the collective. She is an individual now."  
  
"Of course," said the boy, "Permission to come aboard,captain."  
  
"Permission granted. I'll now escort you to my ready room."  
  
"Ready room?"  
  
"My office," explained Janeway.  
  
"Very well." The crewman stepped down from the transporter pad. As they left the transporter room he spoke in a low voice to Seven of Nine,  
  
"You may have brain washed this crew, But I have seen your crimes first hand and I will not be fooled by a wolf in sheep's clothes."  
  
As they egressed Tuvok turned to Janeway and spoke, "Captain, have you noted the contrast in his attire?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"The uniform insignia is not the Starfleet norm for that era, it appears to be a combination of the standards for Starfleet, the Romulan Star Empire, and the Klingon Empire. Also it should be noted that the uniform is from the 23rd century, however the disrupter is of 24th century design."  
  
"Exellent observation. I'll be sure to get answers about that during our discussion."  
  
"He may not be very willing to tell."  
  
"Then I'll be careful."  
  
=/\=  
  
In Janeway's office sat Ensign Yar, as he had called himself, who was now looking out the windows at the stars.  
  
"So Ensign, you said that you would tell us about what happened to your ship and more information about yourself." Janeway said finally. The ensign looked at her as though examining her and making a decision. He then spoke,  
  
"I believe that is the Starfleet symbol that you are wearing and this vessel does appear to be of 24th century design, Intrepid-class I believe."  
  
"How would you know that?" asked Janeway almost astonished. The boy looked mischeviously at her as though he knew something she didn't, which wasn't far from the truth. He then said,  
  
"My full name is T'aev Peter Yar. I was born what on your calender would be September 21, 2371. I am three quarters Romulan and one quarter human."  
  
"If you were born in 2371 that would mean that you're only 5 years old."  
  
The ensign laughed at the notion, then explained,  
  
"Under normal circumstances I would be. However, in the year 2372 my father, myself, and the shuttle were traveling in were pulled 91 years into the past to the year 2281, once there we proceeded to Romulus were I lived for the next 4 years. I then served aboard the late USS Romulus as secondary science officer until it was attacked by the Borg who assimilated the entire crew except for myself because I narrowly escaped. I was forced to "deactivate" the drones through various means and for the next four years I was alone on board the derelict ship every now and then being able to enagage warp barley. Somewhere along the way I apparently rejoined the normal timeline or you came into the past, I can't be sure which."  
  
"So you're twelve years old and you killed the entire crew of the ship?"  
  
"Believe me, captain, I had no choice and it was the hardest thing I ever had to do. I had friends on that ship but they were only drones."  
  
"You could have removed them from the collective as well as removed the implants."  
  
"Captain, a isolated jeffries tube full of make shift computers and tricorders is not the best place to develop a revolutionary new medical procedure."  
  
"So you shut them all down from there."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"About this Alliance…"  
  
"The Alliance Project… yes of course. May I use your computer to access the files regarding the mission?"  
  
"Please do." Janeway gestured toward the computer console.  
  
T'aev turned to the computer, as he turned he spoke to the captain, "If I'm not mistaken your ship and every other ship in Starfleet has a block of memory a teraquad large that cannot be accessed. Am I correct, captain?"  
  
"Yes, we've been trying to get to it since this ship was comisioned."  
  
"Well try no longer," the ensign then spoke to the computer, "Computer, confirm identity: Ensign T'aev Yar."  
  
The computer responded, "Identity Confirmed."  
  
"Computer, open all files regarding or related to the Alliance Project, authorization level one, code one, one-A, one-B, C."  
  
The computer monitor flickered to life as the interface changed to reveal the symbol that T'aev was wearing and the text below it reading: Alliance Project.  
  
"Computer, play summary of the project." Ordered the Romulan.  
  
"Alliance Project is a combined exploration mission consisting of the USS Romulus NCC-7406-C, the USS Luna NCC-7406-A, the USS Terra NCC-7010, and the IKS Quo'Nos. Vessels departed for mission on stardate 8130.3. Mission objectives: To seek out new life and new civilations, to boldly go where no one has gone before."  
  
"Computer, play files regarding Ensign Yar."  
  
"Ensign Yar, Morale officer-Secondary Science officer, Age 12,date of birth Semtember 21, 2371  
  
Family: Father; Subcommander Tou'San,First Officer on board USS Romulus; Mother, Admiral Sela, Romulan Tal Shiar operative.  
  
Accomplishments: Sucessfully passed Starfleet Academy graduation exam without prior academy training."  
  
Janeway was shocked not that Yar's name was on the computer but that his mother was the notorious Sela of the Romulan Star Empire who had on many occations attempted to destroy the Federation.  
  
"So," she said as if to conclude the computers summary, "your mother is Sela?"  
  
"Yes, but it's nothing to write home about, really. I was in her care for one month then I was turned over to my father, Tou'San." Said Yar.  
  
"And your father is?"  
  
"Dead with the rest of the crew of that god forsaken garbage scow. Now shall we come to the point?"  
  
"The point?"  
  
"Yes, I have been able to confirm that you are with Starfleet and I wish to join your crew as well as begin a salvage operation of the Romulus. The vessel was equipped with two cloaking devices, I could most likley install them on your vessel."  
  
"Wait a minute. I need more information before I can let you aboard."  
  
"Specify what information."  
  
"Is there anyone that can confirm the existance of this Alliance Project?"  
  
"Yes, only one Starfleet officer who knew of the project's existence may still be alive in your century; a certain Lieutenant Saavik, a Vulcan."  
  
"I don't know that person but I'll take your word for it. I just needed to see that you were willing to back up your claims. I also noticed that you didn't seem to be convinced that our Borg crewman was not part of the collective."  
  
"I was merely being cautious. After all one can never be too careful."  
  
"Of course," said Janeway, reluctantly.  
  
"After a security and medical check, I will concider letting you aboard," she continued.  
  
"I understand your need for such precautions. Thank you."  
  
"Report to sickbay immediately, it's on deck 5."  
  
"Understood." The Ensign backed away until he arrived at the door, he then turned and made for the turbolift.  
  
  
  
Chapter 7  
  
"Live From Sickbay."  
  
  
  
In sickbay the doors parted and T'aev entered. To his surprise there was no one there. Starfleet protocols required that sickbay be manned at all times, this was completely unheard of. He spoke to the computer,  
  
"Comuter, locate the Chief Medical Officer."  
  
"The EMH is located in Sickbay."  
  
"Computer, who is the EMH?"  
  
"The Emergency Medical Hologram mark one is a Holographic program designed by Doctor Lewis Zimmerman at the Jupiter Station for Emergecies on board a starship. Should such an instance occur the EMH-1 is capable of acting as CMO with the knowledge and experience of all known phyisicians in history."  
  
"Computer,there's is no one here."  
  
"The Emergency Medical Hologram is present."  
  
"Computer, where is the EMH?"  
  
"The EMH is located in sickbay."  
  
Annoyed, T'aev repharsed his question, "Computer, what is the EMH's location in sickbay."  
  
"The EMH is offline."  
  
"Computer, activate the EMH program."  
  
At that moment a person appeared wearing one of the Starfleet medical uniforms, he was bald with some dark hair onhis temples. The hologram spoke,  
  
"Please state the nature of the… who are you and why are you here?"  
  
"I am Ensign Yar of the Alliance starship USS Romulus and I am here to receive a medical examination as instructed by your commanding officer. So you're a hologram?"  
  
"That is correct, I am also the Chief Medical Officer on this ship and I expect you to treat me with all the respect you would a superior officer."  
  
"I have no choice. You are my superior officer. No doubt they would not have made you CMO if you weren't sencient and capable. A Sencient Holographic Lifeform… I think I heard about them somewhere. You are one?"  
  
"Yes. Now if you'll permit me," said the hologram picking up a medical tricorder. The doctor began scanning around the cranium of the Romulan and said,  
  
"I am reading a cybernetic device in the back of your brain. Would you explain that?"  
  
"The cybernetic device is a Universal Translator and communications implant that can, if nesscessary, serve as data link with a few tricks here and there if nesscessary."  
  
"Okay… you're perfectly healthy Romulan, then."  
  
"Alright …", Tuvok then entered and aproached the Ensign. Tuvok spoke,  
  
"Ensign, our security scans show that you pose no threat to this vessel or it's crew."  
  
"So when may I begin my salvage operation?"  
  
"You will guide an away mission through your ship and then possibly begin a salvage mission. As to your request for crewmanship aboard Voyager, you may now concider your Starfleet commision active. The captain will wish to see you about what duties you should preform."  
  
"That's great. Well, I just don't know what to say."  
  
"Your response should be, "Yes, sir"'  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
  
  
Chapter 8  
  
"The Away Mission."  
  
  
  
In the quiet, empty corridors of the USS Romulus the darkness was disturbed by four transporter beams. Tuvok, Chakotay, Crewman Jurot, and Ensign Yar materialized.  
  
"Move out." Ordered Chakotay.  
  
Bright beams of light pierced the blackness emiting from SIMs beacons. The beams revealed wall paneling burnt, pitted and blown out in some areas. A Jefferies tube access hatch was half melted away as though hit by lava. Above, a hole blasted through the deck above revealed more burnt fried material. T'aev narrated the ghastly sight,  
  
"The burn marks on the walls show why it was so easy for the Borg to assimilate the ship so quickly," he paused looking around, "Most of the crew were already dead. Killed in the initial attack."  
  
"I don't see any Borg drones anywhere," observed Chakotay.  
  
"I had time to do a little cleaning up over the past four years," T'aev said, bitterly, "You can still tell that it was almost assimilated." Yar gestured to a flickering and sparking panel featuring a Borg computer interface. As they past it there was sound of metal twisting in an electric twag. Suddenly from around the corner a Borg drone came lumbering forward toward them steadily. Then another appeared, then another. They were surrounded.  
  
"Phaser Rifles!" ordered Commander Chakotay.  
  
T'aev was calm. He had planned this.  
  
=/\=  
  
  
  
Chakotay and the away team were stepping backwards into an intersection of the corridors as the drones closed in. Phaser rifles raised they prepared to fire. Ensign Yar, however, didn't back away. He remained cool as though this were an everday thing. He walked forward, right through a drone as though it were thin air, or a ghost. He walked back to the flickering console and punched commands into it; the drones disappeared in a holographic blur. The away team exhaled in relief, lowering their phaser rifles. T'aev continued his narraration,  
  
"What you just saw was a security program I installed. It was intended to scare away those who board. It detected you as unwanted life signs and activated. It now registers you as a normal function of this vessel, a member of the crew if you will."  
  
"I'm glad that was all it was," said Chakotay.  
  
"Welcome aboard the most advanced vessel of the twenty-third century. We will begin our "tour" here then work our way to the bridge. If you'll follow me…"  
  
He started down the corridor with the away team following him as though this were some sort of museum tour. The corridors were burnt like they were behind and there was some sort of green liquid that had hardend on a segment of the wall which T'aev identified as blood of a Romulan crewman. Tuvok open his Tricorder and began scanning. The sound of the Tricorder echoed through the hall as though there were someone else, a ghost mabey, scanning somewhere in the darkness. As there was nothing else to be said they continued on. The ghostly echo of the Tricorder continued to haunt them. In the darkness there was a stinch of rotting meat, or flesh. The beams of light revealed more corridors burnt and bruised, and more green spots- occassionaly red. The halls had everything in common with a haunted house from a ghost story heard in childhood.  
  
"There's no light in here," Jurot said, "How did you see?"  
  
"I didn't." answered the invisible T'aev. The pungent smell grew stronger as they continued. A wall panel opened. Chakotay turned shining his SIMs beacon in the direction of the panel revealin Yar at an access panel to the opening, "Shine that light somewhere else, please." Said the ensign.  
  
Chakotay turned the light into the panel. In the wall lay a drone, rotting in the organic sections of it's body.  
  
"I'll say this for the Borg, they make great EPS conduits," said Yar gesturing to the body of the drone which one could now see had been hooked to Plasma Conduits at either end. A seris of of tubes running the length of the body were blinking actively. "And now …" the ensign began leading them down the corridor of the "ghost ship" until they came to a large door labeled Cargo Bay 15- Level B. Turning to the door, finger hovering over a control pad key, Yar finished, "…the crew."  
  
The door slid open and a sharp smell over took them. Peering inside they saw hundreds of bodies of drones lined up neatly in some places, piled in others. This room was lit from high above on an entire other deck. A catwalk above cast shadows on the bodies. Leading to the catwalk was a latter surronded by drones.  
  
"You kept the bodies?" Chakotay questioned.  
  
"As I said they make great EPS conduits, bulk heads, computer chips, etc." responded Yar.  
  
"Where did you get food? Surely you didn't eat… them, did you?"  
  
"Commander, I am not a cannible. This vessel is of generational design, so we had enough in stores for a while. Not to mention the Food Synthisyser Unit, an early predecessor to your Replicators."  
  
"I see." Said Chakotay, quesily.  
  
T'aev began climbing the latter to the next level, "Are you coming or not?" he said, "Follow me."  
  
They climbed to the next level. Walked across a catwalk that seemed as though it might go crashing into the sea of bodies below if they stepped wrong. Soon they arrived at a blood stained door which didn't open until T'aev threw a coil spanner at it. They stepped off the catwalk through the door into another corridor. This one was lit, so they turned off their SIMs Beacons.  
  
"This deck, some of the one above it, and the bridge are the only other habitable sections of the ship, besides the one you were just on, so don't wander off," their guide informed them.  
  
Continuing on to nowhere that they could think of, their destination, only known by T'aev. Further on they stopped and T'aev began explaining something to them. Jurot, a Betazoid female with black hair and yellowish complection, began scanning farther down the corridor. She turned to enter a room. T'aev noticed this and called after her,  
  
"Wait!" he shouted, "There's no gravity in there!"  
  
"I can see that!" came Jurot's voice from inside the room, aparently from above. T'aev walked down the corridor and into the room muttering something that sounded like "Up, up, and away." Soon he came floating back down pulling Jurot behind him. The two appeared to be in some sort of conversation. They approached the rest. After T'aev finished describing this segment of corridor in detail, identifing the weightless room as where he slept and saying it was the next best thing to null-grav sleeping chambers. Soon they were climbing, or rather floating up a jeffries tube to the bridge. They climbed out of the jeffries tube through a sawed open hatchway. The bridge was fried and burnt. The viewscreen displayed a fuzzy crackling image of Voyager and the surrounding space. A large schematic screen at the back of the bridge flickered and sparked slightly. It too, was clearly converted into a Borg interface. They began walking around the consoles.  
  
"Ensign, could we access your secondary shuttlebay from here?"asked Chakotay. No response. He turned to repeat the question and saw the Ensign, slouched at a console to the right. He leaned forward slightly and gentley touched the panel in front of him as though it were very fragile. Then he spoke, his voice trembling,  
  
"She died here… Ensign Jansen died here." He leaned closer to the console, almost crying.  
  
"Every thing she was is lost…. Gone…forever," he continued, "And there…" He gestured to weapons console, "…my father died there! And I ran to the jefferies tube like a coward!"  
  
"It was a logical course of action," Tuvok said, "Had you not escaped, the ship would have been captured."  
  
"Your right. It was logical. But there was nothing I could do to save them."  
  
"But that's in the past now," Chakotay half-consoled, half-ordered, "Now, can we get to your shuttle bay. There is a significant amount of shuttle craft and supplies down there."  
  
"Gone," T'aev finished. He then sat upright in the chair and answered, "Yes, you could get there in an enviormental suit or you could use on of the shuttle craft from your vessel."  
  
"Good."  
  
=/\=  
  
The salvage commenced. Captain Janeway declined using the cloaking device on board in the interest of the Treaty of Alegron. Voyager, did however receive 6 new shuttle craft, a new warp field coil, and a new member of the crew. Not to mention his belongings, which included, a mek'leth klingon sword, one terra cotta figure replica identical to one of the ones found in China, and various photos of historical figures most notably Captain James T. Kirk.  
  
With the salvage complete Janeway was in her Ready Room with T'aev. They were discussing where to assign him.  
  
"Well, captain, I am profiecient in most areas. I hold high honors in starship operations and engineering," Yar said to Janeway.  
  
"How about medicene?" Janeway inquired.  
  
"I am somewhat knowledgeable on the subject. I find it interesting."  
  
"Good. Jurot has been hoping to get someone to help out in the secondary medical ward. Do you feel up to working in there, part time?"  
  
"I'd be honored to have any assignment. And I already am growing to know Jurot quite well, so, yes."  
  
"Good, you can work there during third shift and you'll report to me for your other assignments."  
  
"Yes, Captain!"  
  
"Another thing, you seemed a little bit disturbed by Seven of Nine's presence. Are sure that this won't prove to be a …."  
  
A red alert interupted her as well as Tuvok's voice over the comm system,  
  
"Red Alert. Captain Janeway to the bridge. Borg cube on an attack course and closing."  
  
"On my way."  
  
  
  
Chapter 9  
  
"…Trouble's never far behind."  
  
  
  
Janeway stepped off the turbolift on to the bridge. It was dimly lit with the red alert lights flashing. T'aev was not far behind, he stepped back to a corner of the bridge. Janeway stood in front of the captain's chair.  
  
"Report," she ordered.  
  
"The cube was on a course for the only inhabited planet in the system, then it detected us and altered couse to intercept. They'll be in weapons range in two minutes,"said Ensign Kim.  
  
The cube hung ominously on the screen growing larger as it came nearer. Soon it was directly in front of them. The bridge jolted slightly.  
  
"They have locked a tractor beam onto us," said Tuvok, "It is draining our shields."  
  
"Lock phasers on the source and fire!" ordered the captain.  
  
Phasers fired and hit the cube. The beam released.  
  
"Pull us away! Now!"  
  
The cube fired a burst of energy rocking the bridge.  
  
"Minor damage to decks 4 and 5," reported Tuvok in his usual emotionless manner.  
  
"Mister Kim…." Janeway said as she turned, "…T'aev, get away from there!"  
  
Ensign Kim lay crumpled on the floor. T'aev stood at Kim's station. Quickly he entered commands into the console and disappeared in the molecular sparkle of a transprorter beam.  
  
"Tuvok, trace that beam!"  
  
"Trying, captain."  
  
=/\=  
  
On the bridge of the Romulus T'aev was seated at the science station,  
  
"Computer, request security procedure, destruct sequence one, code-one, one- A."  
  
=/\=  
  
On Voyager's bridge the crew rocked as another hit weakened their shields further.  
  
"Captain, the Romulus is moving," said Tuvok, "It is on a collision course with the cube."  
  
"Well at least now we know where our Ensign is. Can you pull him back?" asked Janeway.  
  
Almost as she spoke a transporter beam energized behind the Ops console. T'aev materialized.  
  
"Ensign,"  
  
As though totally oblivious to the captain's presence he tapped the console and spoke,  
  
"Computer, zero zero zero-destruct-zero."  
  
"Reading a energy build up on the Romulus, it's in the anti-matter storage area," reported Tuvok, "The Borg are preparing to engage warp."  
  
On the screen the Romulus fired a plasma torpedo which detonated ahead of it creating a shock wave which rocked Voyager and stopped the Cube's movement.  
  
"Good shotting, Old friend," Yar said to himself, a final goodbye to the ship he had called home for so long.  
  
Tuvok explained, "The plasma detonation has collapesed the Cube's warp field. No vessel will be able to engage warp for three hours. The Romulus is increasing speed toward the cube."  
  
The Romulus impacted the Borg ship, the two exploded in a large cauldron of flame and smoke. The shock subsided.  
  
Janeway said to T'aev, "Ensign, I'll be wanting to speak with you. I think you know what about."  
  
Chapter 10  
  
"Aftermath"  
  
  
  
In sickbay Harry Kim regained consciousness and sat up. The new Ensign was standing beside the bed with his hands clasped behind his back. The Ensign now wore a command division uniform and ensign rank pin.  
  
"Mister Kim," said the Ensign, "I …would like to apologize for performing the Vulcan nerve pinch on you. I didn't think you'd let me use your console otherwise."  
  
"You're right. I wouldn't have let you use my console," groaned Ensign Kim, "I'm sure Captain Janeway is going to punish you."  
  
"Yes, I am now working longer shifts for a month."  
  
"Just don't do that again."  
  
"He won't," came Janeway's voice. They turned to see the Captain. She continued, "T'aev, I need to talk to you."  
  
"Yes?" T'aev acknowledged.  
  
"Alone, please, Ensign."  
  
They proceeded to the other side of the room.  
  
"Ensign, I'd like to return to the subject we were discussing before the attack," said Janeway, "Are you sure that your apparent irritation with Seven of Nine won't prove to be a problem?"  
  
"If it doesn't bother me, I won't bother it."  
  
"That's not good enough. I'm going to put in close proximity with her for a while. As you usually seem to know, it is important that there be no hostilities between crewmembers in order to ensure the smooth operation of this vessel."  
  
"Alright, I won't kill it."  
  
The captain stared hard at him as though to say "And?" Yar shook his head, irritated, and spoke,  
  
"No physical harm will come to your crewmember. As is dictated by your regulations."  
  
"There'll be no trouble understood?"  
  
"Understood," Yar said through half-clenched teeth.  
  
=/\=  
  
But there was trouble, as there always is when enemies meet and are forced to act as allies. Though it was not physical, it was much, much worse. The worst pain is inflicted through the mind and the stirring of Emotions. Ensign Yar woke the next morning and reported for duty. His first assignment was the catalyst for the hate that he had held since four years ago, the hate which had been building inside and had been fueled by months on a derelict, hate which now could be focused and released, on Seven of Nine.  
  
  
  
Chapter 11  
  
"The Flames of Gre'Thor"  
  
  
  
Ensign Yar entered the Astrometrics lab for duty, deliberately heading for the console farthest from Seven of Nine; after all, the captain had told him to avoid trouble. He then began operated the console. Why did they always beep like that? The sound alerted Seven of Nine of his presence and she let him know,  
  
"Ensign Yar," she said like a motion sensor detecting an unwanted presence.  
  
T'aev rolled his eyes slightly and with some difficulty said, "Borg."  
  
"You may call me Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct…"  
  
"…Of Unimatrix zero-one," finished Yar, "You perform your duties, I'll perform mine."  
  
"I would prefer if you call me Seven of Nine."  
  
"When you say I, you do mean the collective would prefer to be called Seven of Nine."  
  
"I am no longer Borg."  
  
T'aev exploded, "It must be really convenient for you if the crew of this ship believes that, but I don't for one second. And when the Borg attacks, I'll be ready, and you'll be the first one I go after; because nothing would please me more that to blow that wired head of yours into a stream of stray matter hurtling through creation for all eternity!"  
  
"Voyager is my collective now."  
  
"Or at least you intend to make it that! You'll strip these people of their individuality just like you did on the Romulus! You killed Jessica Jansen, took away everything that she was; intelligent, creative, friendly, and kind. And you know what the worst part is?!" he paused to let this sink in, "You didn't even show your satisfaction at what you had done; taken the souls of 450 individuals and shattered their futures in the blink of an eye!"  
  
"I did not attack the Romulus."  
  
"That's where you're wrong! The Borg are many and one; one and many. They are a collective! You will take responsibility for the destruction of the Romulus, because you are Borg!"  
  
"I am an individual. Captain Janeway liberated me from the collective."  
  
"What about the people you assimilated? What about them! They will never think for themselves again! They will live in empty shells of people until your leader, if you have one, decides to deactivate them!" he continued, "How many Jessica Jansen's have you assimilated, how many Tou'San's?! You think real hard because I want you think about how they must have felt when you injected your nano-tubules into them and sealed their fate forever! They will spend life as drones, when you…you were liberated because you were lucky enough to be picked up by a Starfleet ship carrying the most advanced medical technologies, and a very compassionate captain! What are the odds? Can you compute in that cybernetic mind of yours the odds that any of your victims will ever be redeemed to a state of individuality again! And don't just think about your victims, think about every drone, what hopes do they have at being as fortunate as you are? If I hadn't destroyed the crew of the Romulus they too, would have lived under the Borg's oppression forever!"  
  
Seven of Nine didn't answer. For the rest of the shift she thought for the rest of the shift about what the ensign had said. She had been hated before, but not like this. It had hurt. Inside she knew that he hated her, he wanted her to die. What he had said had damaged her, and it couldn't be treated.  
  
  
  
Chapter 12  
  
"Hate"  
  
  
  
In Engineering the Warp core pulsated. A comforting sound to T'aev, an annoyance to others. At the master systems display T'aev Yar stood monitoring systems, currently engaged in a conversation with another crewman on an irrelevant topic. The topic was the best name for a child. He had been on the ship for a month now and the crewman he was talking to had recently been married and hoped to have children.  
  
"Louis, maybe," proposed Yar.  
  
"No, no, something more close to nature," responded the crewman.  
  
"Wolf?"  
  
"No, reminds me too much of that battle…what was it?"  
  
Seven of Nine had just entered, T'aev noticed and raised his voice to be heard.  
  
"Yes, the battle of Wolf 359, circa 2368. 39 starships destroyed and 11,000 federation citizens slaughtered by the Borg," he redirected his comment to Seven, "Isn't that right, drone?"  
  
"That information is correct. However the total death toll was 11,652," responded Seven, calmly.  
  
"You would know; wouldn't you?"  
  
"What are you implying?"  
  
"I think you know what," Yar threw back, "And you were a drone at the time, if I am not mistaken?"  
  
"The Borg ship was destroyed, I was not present."  
  
"But you were a drone, weren't you? And that's all that matters. You're just as responsible as the drones who destroyed those ships."  
  
By now their voices had risen and Torres noticed.  
  
"Control yourself, Seven. The captain said to avoid a confrontation," said Torres to Seven.  
  
"I do not intend to fight, lieutenant," responded Seven still gazing, upset, at Yar.  
  
"Good. Yar, you just stop it now, we all lost someone in that battle. But that's no reason to take it out on Seven."  
  
"You're right, Seven knows what it did. So I don't need to remind it," said Yar also staring at Seven as though hoping that each other's stares would kill the other.  
  
"I'm going to report this to the captain. You'd both better get to her Ready Room now."  
  
Their eyes remained fixed as though concentrating a beam of energy at each other, slowly disintegrating the other slowly from within.  
  
"Ensign, Seven, now!"  
  
"Of course," said Yar, finally turning off the invisible beam that he had been hitting Seven with.  
  
=/\=  
  
"You will not only learn to cooperate, you will learn to like eachother!" Janeway said staring disapprovingly at Yar and Seven of Nine, "You may even become friends."  
  
"Captain, that's impossible!" Yar shouted back.  
  
"Don't give me that, T'aev. When you're on this ship you will never refer to something as impossible, do you understand?"  
  
T'aev took a deep breath, "Yes, captain."  
  
"Good, because I have looked over your plans for a long range transporter to get Voyager home and I am giving you permission to begin construction of the advanced emitter and the transporter system. You will begin your work on the emitter at once. But, you will be installing it with Seven's help.  
  
"Captain, I don't trust her!" Yar shouted, standing up almost unaware that Seven was still there.  
  
"Well, you're improving. You called Seven her and not it."  
  
"A minor error," Yar said, annoyed, "Excuse me, 'It.'"  
  
"I can't have you fighting every time you're around eachother."  
  
"Then it is totally unreasonable to assign us to an job involving environmental suits and Extra-Vehicular Activity."  
  
"You're working with Seven and that's the end of it. Dismissed."  
  
  
  
Section 3  
  
"Alliance"  
  
Chapter 13  
  
"Smiles"  
  
1 Month Later.  
  
  
  
The Secondary Medical Ward was, of course, smaller than Sickbay. It contained only two bio-beds and a diagnostic console. At this console Jurot worked. T'aev 'escorted' a patient to the door,  
  
"…And next time you go stomping around the Bowog Bog, leave the safety and health protocols on. You might not get a cold that way. I don't want to see you in here again, got it?" T'aev badgered.  
  
The crewman left, T'aev turned.  
  
"Ensign, you're beginning to sound like the doctor," commented Jurot  
  
"Why thank you," T'aev said strolling over to the console.  
  
"That wasn't a complement."  
  
"I know. That is precisely why I took it as one." He didn't continue.  
  
"T'aev, is there something wrong?"  
  
"Oh, not really, they just came up with a diagnosis for why I seem to be learning and growing so quickly," Yar sighed.  
  
"Well?"  
  
T'aev hesitated, … "As you know, I learned the basic things most people know in five years in a year. I memorize things quickly, such as the ship's library. The "diagnosis" is that I am evolving…. Into a non-corporeal state. The doctor estimates I have until I turn 50 or less," Yar sighed a long sigh. Jurot didn't say anything for a while, then she smiled and said, "I guess you'll have to grin and bear it."  
  
"Grin?"  
  
"You know, smile?"  
  
Coming around to the other side of the console, he said in a serious tone, "Crewman, I haven't smiled since stardate 8132.1 and I don't think I'll be smiling any time soon. I do get your meaning though, "When an enemy cuts your vein, make blood wine." Right?"  
  
"More like a human phrase, "When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade.""  
  
"I think the klingon phrase is better."  
  
=/\=  
  
It was rare that T'aev socialized. Usually he preferred the quiet of a deflector monitoring station or Jeffries tube. Four years on the planet Romulus had taught him not to trust people too much. Instead, he put his faith in the cold, barren, life-less corridors and bulkheads of a starship. They remind him of his place of birth; another cold, barren, life-less space vessel. T'aev was now sitting in the mess hall, surrounded by large groups of people. He tensed up in situations like these; Never letting his guard down. At a console he was as confident as anyone could be. His one major success in interpersonal relations had been with his deceased friend Jessica Jansen. She was still as friendly, bright, and cheerful as ever in his memories. But whenever he closed his eyes at night, he saw her assimilated again. Her soul was being driven out through nano-tubules. Now he made it a point to stay out of social situations. When in the mess hall, a very socially oriented place, he kept to himself, ate, then left. But today the chef and morale officer, Neelix, approached. He knew what this was about. How could this crew be so sympathetic to the needs of that drone? Did they realize what she and her fellow Borg had done? Did they know about the atrocities she had participated in? He hopped Neelix would be brief and to the point. But it was too much to ask of a Talaxian.  
  
"Hello, Mister Yar," Neelix began, "May I sit down?"  
  
"There's nothing I can do to stop you," T'aev allowed a chuckle. Neelix sat down across from him and leaned his shoulders on the table and eyed T'aev thoughtfully.  
  
"You look somewhat troubled, Ensign."  
  
"What makes you say that?"  
  
"You're a person who's had a hard life, Borg attacks and other forms of misery."  
  
"Yes, well now that you mention it, I have had my share of trouble. What's your point?"  
  
"The point is, Ensign, that you have a knack for spreading your misery around."  
  
"If by that you mean I can't stop making others miserable then I only partially agree with you," said Yar. This was proving to be a very interesting conversation. He made it a point to talk to Neelix more often.  
  
"I've noticed," Neelix began.  
  
"Who hasn't…" T'aev sighed.  
  
Neelix paused for a moment taking in T'aev's last statement then started again, "I've noticed that you haven't been getting along to well with Seven of Nine."  
  
"What on Earth would make you think that?"  
  
"Well, it doesn't take a telepath to notice that you dislike her."  
  
"It," T'aev 'corrected'.  
  
"That's my point," Neelix noted, "You refuse to show her any mercy at all."  
  
T'aev snorted, "I've shown that drone more mercy that it deserves."  
  
"No you haven't," Neelix continued, "She's Human, and I think she deserves at least that much respect."  
  
"It stopped being human the moment it destroyed other human life," T'aev stood, "Thank you for your observations Mister Neelix. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to maintenance the EPS conduits on deck 3 section 31." T'aev turn and left, disliking the things his conscience told him about what Neelix said.  
  
=/\=  
  
"The planet appears to have high concentrations of the energy compounds that power our replicators, not to mention the rock formations down there. Maybe even archaeological interests," reported Ensign Kim to Janeway. They were on the bridge. On the viewscreen was an M-class planet, "It also appears that the planet's meteorological state is in a state of extreme flux, the weather is changing rapidly."  
  
"Then I suppose," said Janeway, "we have an obligation to study it and gather supplies."  
  
"That would seem to be the logical course of action, captain," Tuvok commented.  
  
"Then lets take some shuttle craft down," Chakotay proposed, "They can carry more supplies when we find them and artifacts."  
  
"That sounds reasonable," Janeway agreed, "Chakotay, Tuvok, and Mister Paris will take one shuttle and search for resources as well as harvest them. Seven of Nine will take another shuttle along with our 'multi- purpose' crewman, Yar…"  
  
"Captain, you realize that in continually making Yar and Seven work together," Chakotay started, "You're increasing a safety hazard. T'aev seems eager to kill Seven."  
  
"Yes, I realize that, and I am still hoping that they can work together."  
  
"I see. I would still advise caution."  
  
"Thank you, I'll note your opinion in my log. As I was saying before," Janeway said, "Yar and Seven will be running a scientific survey on the geology and archaeology down there. Prepare those shuttles for launch. Let's go."  
  
  
  
Chapter 14  
  
"Rapid Meteorological Changes"  
  
  
  
The shuttle bay was a large open hangar filled with equipment and shuttles. By the side of the shuttle craft Cal Rodgers Chakotay inspected Yar's equipment for the survey.  
  
"Three Tricorders, Med-Kit, Type-2 phaser pistol… Your not thinking about using that are you?" Chakotay inquired.  
  
"No," Yar responded, "Standard Starfleet Away Mission protocols require that all members of away mission to carry type-2 phaser weapons upon landing on a previously uncharted world."  
  
"You always have your protocols, don't you?"  
  
"Without protocols to guide us there would be no order to Starfleet."  
  
"Alright… Medical Tricorder, hypo-spray, and… no trauma it?"  
  
"Do you really think he'll need it?" said Paris headed for the shuttlecraft Clemens.  
  
"No, probably not. Alright," said Chakotay, "You're all set, Ensign, get to your shuttle."  
  
T'aev turned and stepped through the aft hatchway of the shuttle. The crew still looked at him oddly even though his rapid progress could be explained. He guessed there was no real way that they could accept him, oh well. In the shuttle, Seven of Nine sat at the station on the right running checks on systems prior to launch. A large amount of scientific equipment lay at the back of the shuttle as well as equipment for a stay on the planet over the course of several days if circumstances warranted he hoped they wouldn't. The last thing he wanted was to go on a "camping trip" with that drone. He reached into his equipment bag, wanting to pull out his phaser and level at Seven's head to let it know that he didn't trust it. But he thought better and instead pulled out a Tricorder, sat down his bag and exited the shuttle. He started scanning the exterior hull though this had already been done hours before. Finishing, he headed back inside and reluctantly sat down at Seven's left, at the Control console. He sat his tricorder down. Refusing to acknowledge Seven's presence, he went to work.  
  
Recently, it had been found that he had empathic and telepathic powers. Apparently, another part of his 'evolution' into a non-corporeal life form. He had become excessively mournful for the deaths of people he had never met. This new ability was both a blessing and a curse for T'aev. With empathy he could read minds and learn of past events; however some races weren't very friendly to telepaths as an understatement. The Devores executed telepathic beings upon finding them. It was because of this empathy that he knew that his display of hatred toward the Borg had hurt Seven emotionally on it's human side. He had chosen the term 'it' to refer to Seven as a way to insult 'it' further. He seemed to feel that the more he destroyed Seven emotionally, the victims of the disaster on the Romulus would somehow rest easier. No matter how much Captain Janeway tried she could never heal the wounds left behind by the attack on the Romulus, he would see to that.  
  
The Shuttle bay doors opened and two shuttlecraft flew gracefully out and down toward the planet below. In the shuttlecraft Cal Rodgers T'aev piloted it down through the atmosphere, enjoying the ride.  
  
=/\=  
  
  
  
The storm appeared without warning. It snuck up on them like a cat waiting to pounce. Before T'aev or Seven knew it. Not just your average storm, this one had winds beyond an average gale. Lighting, being hotter than the sun, was their worst enemy. The hull couldn't withstand the temperatures and it reached the systems of the craft. Impulse engines acted as a magnet to the charge, drawing the lighting in on its lure of positive energy. Soon the ship was plunging toward the ground at full speed. In the shuttle clouds filled the windows as well as the regular flashes of lightning. Another shower of sparks acted as a notice that some other system had been damaged and that Seven was going to give another damage report,  
  
"Port and Starboard thrusters are offline," came Seven's anticipated report. Of course he already knew that, seeing as he had no Yaw or roll maneuvering capability. The view ahead spun wildly. A barrage of sparks sent Seven flying … At least he didn't have to hear those blasted damage reports, he had them right in front of him. He may have been only twelve, but he could read.  
  
"Computer, Transfer power to Inertial Dampers and Lateral Thrusters," yelled Yar over the howl of wind pouring through one of the air vents which had burst as Seven 'had been so kind' to point out.  
  
"Unable to Comply, Power Transfer Conduits have been destroyed," the Computer responded. Then again, maybe he did miss hearing Seven of Nine's constant damage reports.  
  
"Computer, Suggestions?"  
  
"Transfer power to Lateral thrusters and Inertial Dampers."  
  
"Computer, remind me to never ask you for suggestions again!"  
  
"Reminder noted."  
  
Why didn't they ever come up with a computer that could actually help people?  
  
They passed through the clouds. Now droplets of water came pouring through the burst air vent. Seven was unconciouses back behind him. Realizing finally that he wasn't going to get any help from the computer, he jumped up and held on to a beam above him at the top of the shuttle. He struggled to get to the supplies in the back. T'aev fumbled through the equipment until he found what he was looking for, his phaser. If he could lower the power setting correctly, then maybe he could use it to power the systems he needed. He struggled back to the front of the shuttle. T'aev threw the access hatch away. Wind blew in his face. Obviously they had taken a few breaches to the underside of the craft. They wouldn't be flying in space anytime soon; never, to be precise. With the phaser fine tuned to what he hoped was the right frequency he aimed and fired at the EPS conduit in front of him. The conduit glowed with energy…success! He jumped up, almost hitting his head on the ceiling… Cursed height. Quickly, T'aev punched in the commands for the inertial dampers…. Full power. There wasn't time to get the thrusters online. He heightened the phaser setting. He stumbled to the impulse access hatch, threw it open, and fired. The beam hit the circuits and a conduit within, releasing a shower of sparks which burnt his hands. The shuttle still plummeted down, even without the impulse engines accelerating it. If only it were lighter…  
  
"Computer, jettison warp nacelles!" he yelled.  
  
"Warning, Jettisoning nacelles will prevent this shuttle from achieving warp speeds."  
  
"Computer, jettison nacelles!"  
  
The shuttle jolted suddenly as the nacelles fell away.  
  
"Now…" he muttered to himself, "We drop like a rock."  
  
  
  
=/\=  
  
  
  
"Warning, impact in ten seconds…nine…eight…" the computer droned, "Recommended precaution, increase power to inertial dampers…five…four…three …two… one…"  
  
The transporters energized and Chakotay, Ensign Paris, and Tuvok disappeared. The shuttle Clemens crashed on the planet and exploded violently.  
  
The transporter finished beaming the landing party from the Clemens aboard.  
  
"Chakotay, we almost lost you because of the EM interference caused by the storm, what happened?" Janeway inquired.  
  
"Apparently, the shuttle somehow triggered the storm. The meteorological changes are artificially created, we seemed to have triggered a 'security system' of some sort," Chakotay reported, "What about the other shuttle?"  
  
"On our last scan of that side of the planet they were disabled and going to crash. We couldn't get a lock on either of them, there was too much interference from a plasma conduit rupture."  
  
"I hope your not going to give up on them."  
  
"I have no intention of leaving any crewmen behind."  
  
  
  
=/\=  
  
  
  
The Cal Rodgers lay imbedded in solid rock. Both of the occupants managed to get out alive, but what was there to live for? There was virtually no possibility of returning to Voyager. T'aev was frantic. Seven of Nine shook violently; her neural synapses were out of control. Her involuntary functions such as breathing and heartbeat weren't functioning. T'aev couldn't treat it without a trauma kit; and that was the one thing he had forgotten to bring. There wasn't one in the shuttle, he had already checked. He kept debating with himself,  
  
"Okay," he said for the fourth time, "Alright… you've established that there isn't a trauma kit, now…now you have to find a way to solve the problem…. T'aev you idiot! You forgot the trauma kit and the cordrazine!" he smacked himself across the face, "Calm down… you're not getting anything accomplished…T'aev you're either a genius or a fool!" He could use a mind- meld to stabilize Seven! It might just work, or it might just kill him. There was no telling what mind melding with a dying person might do. He wasn't the most experienced person at mind-melds. Besides, why should stop this…this thing from dying? Isn't this what he wanted? To watch this drone die! Why had he killed the drone population the Romulus? Was it really necessary or was he a vicious killer, out for blood? This was his chance. He could prove he wasn't a killer. Either way, Seven was dying. There wasn't a choice, he took a deep breath, and began the mind link, "Our minds our merging, Seven. What you know; I know. What you feel; I feel. Your thoughts to my thoughts…"  
  
  
  
Chapter 15  
  
"Mistaken Motive"  
  
He could hear his own heartbeat, thundering all around him. T'aev looked around him and saw nothing, total emptiness.  
  
"Is anyone here?" he called out. The sound of his voice was heard against the pounding of his heart. No echo came back across the void. Could it be? Was he dead? After a moment a voice returned, "I am here." The voice was familiar, yet unfamiliar. Who was speaking to him? "Show yourself!" he yelled back. Abruptly, his surroundings changed. His view was filled with burning consoles and burst panels. He was back on the Romulus' bridge; the Borg cube hung on the view screen. The Borg fired a shot at them; he didn't feel the impact. As though he were observing, not interacting.  
  
"Do you recognize this place, Peter?" the voice returned. T'aev turned and there… there was his father, still alive, looking older, though.  
  
"It's the bridge of the Romulus," T'aev responded looking around him.  
  
A female voice from behind him spoke, "I knew he wouldn't recognize it right off, cough up the latinum, Tou'San," He turned away from his father to face the other voice. It was Ensign Jessica Jansen. She looked four years older, or at least how he thought she might have looked if she had lived to be that old. She gave him a quizzical expression, "This is your mind, T'aev," she nodded briefly and the fires came to a stop, replaced by burn marks on the walls and the ship on the screen disappeared, "This is the Romulus' bridge." The setting changed back to the battle. Now he actually felt the impacts. He braced himself against the tactical console. A third voice came from his right, "You haven't much time," it said. A Vulcan dressed in ancient clothing approached him from the turbolift. "Surak? You weren't a member of the Romulus' crew."  
  
Surak spoke again, "Indeed, not. However, this is not the Romulus. This is your mind."  
  
"What in God's name is that supposed to mean?" he asked the image of Surak.  
  
"You're still fighting the battle, T'aev," Jansen answered, "We're not."  
  
"That's because they assimilated you!" T'aev shot back, "They killed you!"  
  
The 'ship's' violent shaking continued, growing more intense. He could barely hold on now. He staggered.  
  
"The battle's over T'aev," his father said sternly, "It's been over for four years. It's time to bury your dead and start living in the present."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" he sputtered out as he was thrown back by another blow.  
  
"We died four years ago," Jansen stated again, "Torturing Seven of Nine won't bring us back. Forget the past, live in the present."  
  
He staggered again and Surak spoke, "You time runs short T'aev."  
  
"What's happening?" T'aev asked franticly as the ship rocked again.  
  
"I should think that would be obvious by now," Jansen said rolling her eyes.  
  
Surak didn't answer, he simply said, "You must come to terms with Seven or you'll both be destroyed."  
  
"I can't!" T'aev yelled, "Don't you see, she killed my father!"  
  
"What have we been trying to tell you, Peter?" Tou'San put firmly.  
  
T'aev's mind raced, it was now or never. It all came together in his mind. He stood and spoke to a crew he couldn't see, "Stand down from Red Alert and beam a medical party to the enemy ship."  
  
  
  
Slowly, Seven regained consciousness; She was breathing normally now. She looked around. T'aev sat against the opposite wall in the cave chamber. He was just staring strait ahead, not at Seven, but at the wall of the chamber ahead of him. He seemed to notice Seven observing him but didn't say anything for a while. He spoke in a faraway voice, like a storm inside him had suddenly subsided and the sun was rising over the now calm waters of an uncharted ocean. What he said, though, was very strange. He said,  
  
"Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra."  
  
  
  
=/\=  
  
"I've got a lock on them," Torres reported, "But there's too much interference to transport them."  
  
"Keep Trying, Janeway out."  
  
=/\=  
  
"Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra," T'aev explained, "Refers to two people trying to come together by sharing a common experience. During the mind- meld, I gained a knowledge of you. And in it, I had a revelation into something that I forgot four years ago, IDIC."  
  
"Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations," Seven acknowledged.  
  
"Yes. I was so blinded my hatred of what the Borg had done to that ship, that I forgot about the ship itself, what it stood for. It was a symbol of that philosophy. Every known race in the Alpha Quadrant worked together on the Romulus and was better for it. Together they became greater. All differences combined to create a greater thing than what had existed before. We both had an experience with the Borg. The only difference is that I got away and managed to save myself, you didn't, and you were assimilated. And I have held you responsible for what happened on the Romulus because of that. I wish to apologize for how I have treated you for the past three months. I have betrayed what the Romulus stood for… peace. Perhaps their deaths will not be in vain… If I, the sole survivor, keep that dream alive. During the meld I discovered much about you, and I was pleased to see that we had differences. As we continue to work together, may we together become greater than the sum of both of us. I see that you're not an enemy. I can learn from you; you can learn from me. Where I have failings; you have strengths. And the reverse. I would like to end hostilities between us."  
  
"I understand," responded Seven, "We will work together then."  
  
"We are allies?"  
  
"We are friends."  
  
Then T'aev did something he hadn't done in four years, he smiled.  
  
"Of course," he said, "I managed to save some of the scientific equipment from the shuttle. Perhaps we should begin analyzing this planet."  
  
T'aev no longer felt cold and bitter. Instead the warmth of peace filled his mind and body. Now the demons of his past could be put to rest at last. Neelix was right, as was Janeway, and the spirits (if they were spirits) of the lost friends and family. He made a note to visit Neelix upon returning to Voyager. He was a new man, no… boy, no… whatever you could call him. He was by all definitions of the term a freak. And for the moment, at least, it didn't bother him that much.  
  
  
  
Chapter 16  
  
"A New Horizon"  
  
  
  
Captains Log  
  
Stardate 50963.7  
  
T'aev and Seven of Nine are back aboard. Without an explanation, they seem to be getting along. The hostile attitude originally displayed by Ensign Yar has mysteriously disappeared. Without the disturbances, life aboard Voyager has returned to normal. Within weeks, Yar says he will be able to test the new transporter. If all goes well, Voyager could be home in a manner of months.  
  
=/\=  
  
  
  
"According to our studies of the archeological ruins of the planet, the people that once existed there were extremely isolationist," Yar explained to the senior staff, "They had the ability to control weather which they used to prevent people from other worlds from landing on theirs."  
  
Seven added, "The race died when the system malfunctioned and destroyed their food supply."  
  
"A forbidden world," Janeway added thoughtfully, "Imagine what they missed, the thrill of exploring other worlds."  
  
"And the opportunity to improve their culture by learning from others," concluded T'aev.  
  
  
  
  
  
Section 4  
  
"The Evil Factor"  
  
Chapter 17  
  
"Extermination"  
  
5 Months Later  
  
  
  
The Time-Ship Relativity cruised gently through the void of space. After this long away from their time the crew didn't know what time they were in and quite frankly, didn't care. They had been correcting temporal anomalies ever since Braxton had been court martialed and Sovak had taken command in his place. Sovak was a Romulan of tall stature and was the very image of a Romulan. He hadn't been on the bridge all day. He occasionally called in for a report on their status; but that was all. Now he strode on to the bridge. With severity in his voice he spoke, "Prepare to engage Time- Drive."  
  
  
  
=/\=  
  
  
  
In Astrometrics on Voyager, T'aev delivered a report to Seven of Nine. This was, of course, a common occurrence on board. They seemed to be passing through a Malon garbage disposal area. They had passed through Electrostatic Gas every day since they entered this sector. It burnt out circuits and conduits. The particular report he was delivering concerned power consumption in Astrometrics, A boring and frustrating topic. Seven of Nine was no longer 'it'. He had learned to respect her for whom she was and no longer regarded her with contempt. Seven was by far the most intelligent person he had ever met.  
  
"Guess what I brought!" T'aev said with sarcasm in his voice.  
  
"Based on past occurrence, I will assume you have brought another power consumption report," responded Seven.  
  
"You guessed it! You just won the chance to shut down the Ventral Astrometrics sensors," responded T'aev, still sarcastic. He handed her the PADD. "That's what you get for being to anticipative…"  
  
  
  
=/\=  
  
  
  
The Time-Ship Relativity engaged it's engines and warped away into time and space.  
  
  
  
=/\=  
  
Circa 2290  
  
Yar stood, solemnly, in his Ready Room. His Ready Room? He had an odd feeling this was wrong but he couldn't put his finger on it. He turned to face his mirror, or was it his? Looking into it he saw something unusual, his rank, and… his uniform. It was a twenty-third century version; not the uniform he seemed to think he should be wearing. His rank… fleet captain? That was his rank; but it wasn't. The door slid open behind him, he turned, and a beautiful brown haired girl entered… Jansen. It was Jansen, only older. Jessica Jansen was a tall, slender, girl with a laugh that could brighten a room. How could she be here? Something, he couldn't remember what, had killed her. The Borg… the who? He seemed to remember; but he didn't.  
  
"We're secure from slipstream velocities, Captain," reported Jansen, "Ready to begin our exploration of the Andromeda Galaxy."  
  
"Right," he said, unsure, "Dismissed."  
  
"Is something wrong, sir?"  
  
"No, nothing's wrong."  
  
Jansen left the room. What had her rank been? Lieutenant Commander, was it? No, that wasn't right. He seemed to remember her being an ensign. Yet, he also remembered her promotion to lieutenant and the promotions after that one. He had lied to his friend. Something was wrong. Dangerously wrong.  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 18  
  
"Second Life"  
  
Circa 2372  
  
  
  
Annika Hansen worked in her lab studying the current Cardassian military operations from Starfleet Intelligence. Since the start of the Federation/Cardassian war, Starfleet had required everyone's participation in fighting the war. She was doing her part by analyzing and predicting attacks. Betazed had just fallen to the Cardassians. She didn't want to be doing this. She would rather be studying some chroniton particle readings they had received from system J25. Damn that Gul Dukat running thing from Cardassia Prime, killing their troops. The Federation was losing this war. She finished her report, transmitted it and started to bring up the readings from J25. Before she could, she heard a voice behind her spoke up, "Annika? What are you still doing here? I thought you were going to visit your father and mother at Utopia Planitia."  
  
An African woman stood at the other end of the room. She carried a bag of equipment.  
  
"Yes I was," Annika realized, "I had better hurry."  
  
"You go on. I'll look at the readings; that is, if Starfleet doesn't come up with another Tactical report before then."  
  
"Alright," said Annika heading for the door, "But if anything interesting comes up, you'll call me."  
  
"You can count on it."  
  
She left and walked along the path in the sunlight of San Francisco. She could see the Golden Gate Bridge to the west. To the east were Starfleet Academy and the Vulcan Embassy. Starfleet Command lay ahead of her. She turned right. A Runabout's shadow passed over her as she approached the spaceport. Several cadets ran ahead of her, obviously late, but still trying to hide it. She noted that she was late to. Annika hurried through the doors.  
  
"All passengers for The Zefram Cochrane Monument, please report to departure port five immediately," came the intercom. Annika rushed to docking port seven. Seven… there was something about that that seemed to trigger a memory. Like her name. That was kind of funny, imagine someone with a number for a name.  
  
On board the transport she sat down and produced a book. She began reading. Annika Hansen was a casual person with an out going personality. She had taken inspiration from her parents, Magnus and Erin Hansen, and tried to become an Exobiologist. She had proven untalented in that area and had instead pursued a career as an Astrophysicist and Tactical consultant for Starfleet. She had become quite talented in this area and had had a successful career so far.  
  
The sleek transport rose from the landing pad and, one hour later, left orbit. For an hour it cruised at impulse on it's way to Mars. When suddenly a Cardassian Keldon-class warship decloaked to the portside of the ship and fired a few shots, then sped away, towards Earth.  
  
Chapter 19  
  
"Loss or Gain?"  
  
Circa 2290  
  
  
  
Something was definitely wrong. He was back on the Romulus, 5 years after whatever it was had attacked them. It seem that the Borg, whoever they were, had never attacked. They had acquired the slipstream drive from a species known as the Bolori. T'aev seemed to remember that they were once called species 116 by the Borg, if there ever was such a thing. He remembered that he had a cybernetic device implanted in the back of his brain. He didn't remember putting it there. But the tricorder had confirmed its existence none the less. He also noted it had a chroniton stabilizer allowing it to survive time shifts. It had been active recently, so apparently there was some temporal force involved in this seemingly abnormal existence. He could examine these strange apparitions of memories using it. He proceeded to remove a medical kit from his drawer. He removed a cortical stimulator from the kit and adjusted it to serve as a data link. He attached to the lower cranium on the back of his skull, then proceeded to his desk computer terminal. There he activated the terminal and the link. After a moment, data began passing over the screen. Past events began to reform in his mind, he was remembering a whole other reality. He should be on a ship called Voyager, in the Milky Way Galaxy, not here.  
  
"Computer," he started, "Data on the Starship Voyager."  
  
"On last hyper-subspace update of library, Voyager was an Orberth-class Science vessel, registry NCC-358. Last Known Captain, Captain Leonard Kaporov…"  
  
"Computer, stop. What is the year?"  
  
"The year on the Terran Calendar is 2290."  
  
"Eighty- One years before Voyager was built," he whispered to himself.  
  
He was back in time and, apparently, the Borg had never existed.  
  
  
  
=/\=  
  
Circa 2372  
  
  
  
"Annika!" Magnus Hansen exclaimed with delight, "Welcome home, come on in!"  
  
"Annika, you're the astrophysicist," came her younger brother, a cadet, "Is it possible to create a wormhole artificially?" He had been in an another argument with his youngest brother, who was also a Starfleet academy cadet. It seemed they were always in argument about something or another. Their names were Leon and Zefram. Leon was the youngest, a first year cadet, who was ultimately obsessed with getting a posting as a Tactical officer on a ship someday. The other brother, a second year cadet, deserved his name Zefram; he had become interested in warp field theory. They were both stationed on Mars for the physical portion of their training.  
  
"Well," she answered, "It's hard to say, since Starfleet has never been able to study a Wormhole in the first place. It's rumored that the Cardassians have discovered a stable wormhole somewhere."  
  
"I'd like to go and kill a few of those Cardies someday," remarked Leon with contempt, "My friend, Ensign Brandon Yar, was killed when the Lexington was destroyed two weeks ago. He was the last of that family, you know that. I'd love to kill the commander of that ship, I would."  
  
"You won't get that chance, little brother," Zefram added, "The Lexington took those spoon heads up with them!"  
  
"You'll both probably will get that chance," sighed Annika, "This war isn't going to be ending soon, we were attacked by another Cardassian ship headed for Earth. The Romulans have stepped up their production of cloaking devices for the Cardassians."  
  
"Annika," her mother said, "There's a transmission for you from Earth, your lab assistant, I think."  
  
She left the room for what had been her room before she grew up. She activated her computer terminal. The screen came to life. Her assistant appeared on the screen.  
  
"Hey, you told me to call you if I found anything interesting in those chroniton readings," the assistant started, "Well I did." She tapped some controls on her desk and the screen revealed some sensor readouts.  
  
"Looks like someone's been doing some time travel…" she said to herself, studying the screen.  
  
"Annika! Get down here now! You need to see this," someone called.  
  
She got to the bottom of the steppes and walked to the screen on the wall, where all the family had gathered.  
  
"Citizens! These are great days for Cardassia!" Dukat exclaimed on the screen, "Today our brave soldiers destroyed one of Earth's major cities! Federation headquarters now lays in ashes! We have laid waste to the Klingon Homeworld! The Breen have demolished the Klingon fleet. Klingon space is now occupied and Chancellor Gowron is dead! Together, we shall destroy the Federation and rule the Alpha Quadrant! For my sons! For all our sons! Let us be victorious!"  
  
Shock filled the room; the Federation may have just lost their chance of winning the war. The president was dead. It was only a matter of time till the Cardassians began storming the Sol System and Earth. Annika was not shocked for the same reason, not because Paris was a pile of ashes, but because she had suddenly had an unusual thought. She thought she shouldn't be here, that she should be on the other side of the Galaxy on a ship called Voyager. She left, luckily before Leon and Zefram started cursing the Cardassians and swearing vengeance. Back in her room she reactivated the computer terminal.  
  
"Computer, data on the USS Voyager," she said to the computer.  
  
"USS Voyager, registry NCC-74656, Intrepid-class  
  
Crew complement 400 total  
  
Last Commanding Officer, Commander Cavit, assumed command after Captain Kathryn Janeway was killed on stardate 49937.2 by Cardassian forces on Antos IV.  
  
A Cardassian Galor-class battle cruiser destroyed Voyager on stardate 50783.7 near the outer areas of the Sol System. There were no survivors.  
  
Status: Destroyed."  
  
"Computer, list the names of the command crew of Voyager."  
  
"Captain Kathryn Janeway  
  
First Officer John Cavit  
  
Operations Officer Harry Kim  
  
Conn Officer Veronica Stadi  
  
Tactical/Security Officer Tuvok  
  
Chief Engineer Joseph Carey  
  
Chief Medical Officer…"  
  
"Computer, stop. What was Voyager's assignment when it was destroyed?"  
  
"Routine Patrol of Cardassian/Federation border."  
  
A suspicion hit her; something in the back of mind was coming forth.  
  
"Computer, files on the Borg."  
  
"Borg, shortened word for Cyborg."  
  
"Computer, are there any more files regarding the Borg?"  
  
"Negative."  
  
"None at all?"  
  
"Confirmed."  
  
  
  
=/\=  
  
Circa 2290  
  
  
  
He had to tell someone.  
  
If someone had altered the timeline, it must be reported. T'aev confirmed the change when the computer told him that there was no such thing as the Borg. But whom could he report it to? No one on the ship could possibly have noticed the change. He was all-alone in this. Was it really all that bad? In this timeline the Borg had never existed, his father was still alive. This life was better than the one he had known before. The Federation probably had it better than they had had it with the Borg.  
  
No.  
  
This wasn't right. The timeline must remain pure. If the Borg were part of the Universe, then they should be allowed to exist. His train of thought was interrupted when a transporter beam energized and he disappeared.  
  
T'aev materialized in what looked like the bridge of a ship, A Federation Ship. A man, clearly Romulan, approached the pad. The Romulan spoke,  
  
"T'aev, so nice to see you. Glad you could come. You're here just in time to die."  
  
  
  
Chapter 20  
  
"The Price"  
  
Circa 2872  
  
  
  
"I can't allow you to expose what we've done," Sovak continued.  
  
"Changed history to your liking?" Yar berated, "Violated the Temporal Prime Directive?"  
  
"Changed history?" the Romulan said, "Or cleansed it of an evil?"  
  
"Really? What's going on right now, where Voyager should be?"  
  
"A war between the Cardassians and the Federation. The Federation loses and the Cardassians take over. After a few generations, there will be a resistance and the Federation will rise again."  
  
"So in favor of your own self interest you have started a war?"  
  
"No!" Sovak exploded, "I have done it in the interests of all those people who were assimilated! Think, T'aev! Think! Whole races have been saved!"  
  
"Yes, but still have violated Starfleet's binding law! Who are we to interfere? The Borg eliminated those races, which in turn affected the balance of power in that Quadrant! For all we know the Borg could be a natural function of the Universe!"  
  
"They're Evil!" exclaimed Sovak, insanely.  
  
"Just as the evil within each of us is! Without the darkness there can be no light! The Borg existed for a reason! They assimilated those races because they eventually would have effected the Universe!"  
  
"Do you know what you're saying?" Sovak raged on, madly, "What about Seven of Nine? She was never assimilated in this timeline; she's leading a normal life! You can't take that away from her, she's your friend!"  
  
"Not in this timeline. It was her assimilation that made the person she was! She was never meant to live the life you've created here!"  
  
"I read what the Borg did! They killed millions, assimilated billions more!" Sovak turned to one of his officers, "Take him away!"  
  
"He's right," the officer said calmly, "I will not comply. You never received orders to do what you did."  
  
"This is mutiny, mister!"  
  
"Yes it is, sir. Yes it is."  
  
In a mad rage, Sovak produced a weapon. Sovak fired and the crewman fell. He turned preparing to fire again. It was too late. T'aev had already escaped.  
  
T'aev ran through the corridors. They'd be after him soon. He had to hurry.  
  
"Ensign," came a voice after him.  
  
He turned, and someone that looked very much like Seven of Nine came running towards him. It was Seven, just without the Borg implants. Relieved for the moment, he spoke, "That's Fleet Captain to you. Come on we have to get to the shuttle bay."  
  
"The shuttle bay?"  
  
"I have a plan."  
  
  
  
=/\=  
  
A shuttle exploded out of the shuttle bay. It zoomed away and disappeared into a temporal rift.  
  
  
  
=/\=  
  
  
  
"Aye, sir," the helmsmen said, "Ready to engage time drive."  
  
"Prepare to go to time frame, stardate 000012.3," Sovak ordered.  
  
"Yes, sir… Sir, a temporal rift is opening. Bearing 230 mark 35, 100 kilometers."  
  
"Hold on a minute; it could be just us returning."  
  
"Negative, one of our shuttles is emerging."  
  
"What?"  
  
  
  
=/\=  
  
  
  
In the shuttle, T'aev worked franticly at controls he didn't understand completely.  
  
"There she is…" he muttered, glancing up, "Seven, If I understand this correctly, we are equipped with a complement of micro-quantum torpedoes. Attach one to the matter/anti-matter reactor."  
  
"You intend to destroy this vessel?" Seven asked, shocked.  
  
"Yes. If I am right, they would be able to withstand an attack from us. But if we use this ship as a weapon, we take them up with us. Set its detonation frequency to 320.6 megahertz."  
  
"You are suicidal. However, I will comply." T'aev gave her a quizzical look. "In favor of the timeline," she explained.  
  
"The real fact of the matter is, I'm not. That's the funny thing about time travel, you can die in one timeline, but not in another. If we stop them, then neither of us ever died. Though this does make me kind of nervous. I mean, we're going to die. You know, I never did get around to eating the heart of one of my enemies."  
  
"I fail to see the relevance in that."  
  
"Do you think this can be counted as dying gloriously in battle?" he asked, ignoring Seven, "They're opening a rift!"  
  
"I have completed my work."  
  
"To Sto'Vo'Kor!" T'aev yelled, punching a command into the console. The shuttle jolted forward slamming into the Relativity. The two exploded violently! Flames ripped across the cosmos. Shards of tritanium hurtled away, only to be caught once again in the explosion and vaporizing.  
  
  
  
  
  
=/\=  
  
  
  
"That's what you get for being too anticipative," Yar said handing Seven the PADD.  
  
"These continuing disruptions are frustrating," Seven remarked.  
  
"Then why don't you devise a way to neutralize the electrostatic charge as we approach. I have an odd feeling that I have just been through something rather spectacular. I should investigate this. Well, bye."  
  
Yar turned and left.  
  
  
  
  
  
Section 5  
  
"A Look Ahead"  
  
Chapter 21  
  
"Past Heroes"  
  
  
  
5 Months Later  
  
  
  
Captain's Log  
  
Stardate 51917.2  
  
We have successfully traversed the Malon "land fill" and are continuing on our way home. The sensors have continued to read high chroniton disturbances since T'aev came aboard. While Mister Yar apparently has nothing to do with it and Seven assures me that the disturbances are of no consequence to Voyager, I feel uneasy. Perhaps it's just another bout of human "intuition".  
  
The bridge was calm. No one spoke. No one had spoken for hours. There simply was nothing to say. Janeway hadn't been on the bridge since they engaged warp. The screen continued to show stars streaking by. If it weren't for protocol no one would be on the bridge at all. Abruptly all this changed,  
  
"Commander, a ship just appeared in front of us!" The ship was thrown back by the impact. And so was the crew. Panels now hung open and sparks dripped out like water from a leaking faucet. The view screen was now only displaying static.  
  
"What was that?" Chakotay yelled out to whomever would answer.  
  
"A ship just appeared in our path. I didn't have time to scan it further or adjust the course," Paris answered, lifting himself off the floor, "The impact collapsed our warp field. Apparently they were at warp too."  
  
"Many of the ship's sensors are offline," Kim reported, "I can't get much readout."  
  
"Commander," Tuvok said, "We are being hailed by the vessel. I can only receive audio."  
  
"Let's hear it."  
  
"This is Captain Christopher Pike of the starship Enterprise. Identify yourselves."  
  
  
  
=/\=  
  
  
  
"What he said during your conversation is true. I can now confirm that the vessel is a Constitution-class starship, registry NCC-1701," Harry Kim reported from his station.  
  
Their 'conversation' had been very short. Chakotay had identified them as a Federation vessel. Pike, or whoever he was, had found that naturally hard to believe and had cut communications to confirm it. Obviously, the Enterprise's sensors were not functional as well. But how had the Enterprise gotten here? It had been destroyed in orbit around the Genesis Planet almost one hundred years ago. Apparently, this was the Enterprise prior to its refit in 2271. Before Kirk had taken command, after April. Before Captain Pike had been crippled in an accident on a class-J training ship, he had commanded the Enterprise. Had Voyager gone backward in time or had Pike come forward?  
  
Janeway came onto the bridge, circled around to the captain's chair, but didn't sit down.  
  
"Hail them," she ordered.  
  
"Yes, captain," Kim tapped his console, "Hailing frequencies open."  
  
"This is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation starship Voyager."  
  
Pike came over the Comm channels, "This is Captain Pike,"  
  
"Captain, We're from your future."  
  
"How can I be sure about that?"  
  
"Check your sensors. You'll find that it is the 24th Century."  
  
There was a momentary pause then Pike came back on, "Okay, so you're right. But, I'm still not convinced. We are reading a large concentration of chroniton particles. You might be trying to fool us."  
  
"Captain, I assure you, this is the twenty fourth century. We're reading the concentration as well."  
  
"Then you won't mind if we transport an away team aboard your vessel."  
  
"I'm sorry, but we have to observe the Temporal Prime Directive."  
  
"Well, you know about the Prime Directive. At least that goes along with your story. Our boarding party would be minimal."  
  
"It does seem to be the only way to convince you. You may beam over."  
  
  
  
=/\=  
  
  
  
The transporter energized and four swirls of molecules became Captain Pike, Commander Spock, Jose' Tyler, and Yeoman Colt.  
  
"Welcome aboard the USS Voyager," said a blonde hair boy with pointed ears from behind the control console, "I'm Ensign T'aev Yar."  
  
"A Vulcan," commented Spock to Pike.  
  
"Not Vulcan," corrected T'aev in a matter of fact like voice. He didn't mention that he was, in fact, a Romulan. In Pike's era no one had seen what a Romulan looked like and no one would until the year 2266. There was so much that couldn't be told.  
  
"Permission to come aboard?" said Pike.  
  
"Granted, Sir."  
  
  
  
=/\=  
  
  
  
"We were on our way from the Vega Colony to rendezvous with the USS Lexington," explained Pike, "Then we ran into your ship, literally."  
  
He was in Janeway's ready room talking to Janeway.  
  
"Captain," Janeway began, "We've been in the Delta Quadrant for five years now, trying to get home. I'm afraid, unless we can return you; you're stuck out here with us. You might as well make the best of it. But this does bring up the problem of you and yours knowing about the future."  
  
"The Prime Directive?"  
  
"Yes, that's right. Can you count on your people not breath a word of what they saw here to anybody?"  
  
"I can count on the people in our away team. That's why I chose them."  
  
"Good. Where are they now?"  
  
"Some of your crew members are leading them on tours of the ship."  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 22  
  
"Main Engineering"  
  
  
  
"The maximum speed of Voyager is warp factor 9.975. That's almost twice the cruising speed of the Enterprise," T'aev explained enthusiastically.  
  
"Wow," commented Ensign Tyler, "I didn't think that a medic would know so much about engineering."  
  
"Well, I know this ship inside out," said T'aev proudly, "And I don't just work in sickbay."  
  
"You're even younger that Yeoman Colt; How did you get into Starfleet?"  
  
"I've been in Starfleet since I was five years old. It's difficult and more or less prohibited to explain."  
  
"Hmmm, Looks like they really rethought warp engine design."  
  
"They did. By 2271 all starship engines will be designed this way. It's more efficient this way. The fuel flows easier to the M/Anti-matter reactor."  
  
"Engineering is not open for tours," B'Elanna Torres badgered from behind them, "Get out."  
  
Guiding Tyler to the exit, "I told you that the chief engineer wasn't all that pleasant."  
  
"She's a Klingon," gasped Tyler.  
  
"Yes, she is. But she's still probably the best chief engineer to drop out of the Academy in her second year."  
  
"How did she get here?"  
  
"The Klingons and the Federation are allies now."  
  
"You can work together?" asked the still stunned Ensign Tyler.  
  
"Yes, the Federation is better with the Klingons as allies. They have many good qualities to them. Together, the Klingons and the Federation are much better than they were apart."  
  
"That's amazing. You're better together than apart?"  
  
"Exactly. Our Chief Medical Officer is a hologram. Not only that, he's sentient."  
  
"The world you live in seems to be a lot better than ours."  
  
"Your world will become this way eventually. We're just your future."  
  
"I would like to stay here; in your time, if you'd let me."  
  
"We can't do that."  
  
"But I'm sure it won't effect the timeline."  
  
"That's the problem. It would. You eventually become an Admiral. One of the more influential people of the 23rd Century."  
  
"An Admiral?"  
  
"That's right."  
  
"Well, I'll be damned. Admiral Jose' Tyler, imagine that."  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 23  
  
"A Tale of Two Vulcans"  
  
  
  
"It is illogical for a Vulcan to condone violence," Spock commented to Tuvok.  
  
"To be a tactical and security officer is not to condone violence," Tuvok responded, "It is to enforce Federation Law and to keep order on board a starship."  
  
"I understand. I still would like to know why you, a Vulcan, chose such a career."  
  
"I am proficient in tactical and security systems. It is logical to utilize one's skills to the fullest and contribute to society in a positive way."  
  
"Agreed. You were most logical in you decision. It is to be commended. I have seen many races work together on this vessel. A superior display of the concept of IDIC."  
  
"Indeed, our differences do combine to produce a greater whole," acknowledged Tuvok.  
  
"All things combine to make everything," concurred Spock.  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 24  
  
"Time In a Bottle"  
  
  
  
  
  
"We'd overlooked it before, but now we realize how the Enterprise got here," Ensign Kim began.  
  
"It appears," T'aev said, "That we're all caught in a temporal anomaly of some sort that slows time down."  
  
Seven of Nine, Harry Kim, T'aev Yar, Captain Janeway, and Captain Pike were all in Astrometrics. The main screen displayed a large area of space surrounded by a large disruption. The area of space was expanding rapidly.  
  
"The time ratio we believe is 1 year in the anomaly to one millisecond of real time," Seven explained, "If that's true, the past year never happened. The anomaly is expanding rapidly; and as it does it develops a graviton pull. The Enterprise was pulled in by the gravitons. We estimate that it will have consumed the entire Milky Way Galaxy in one week."  
  
"We will have to destroy it," proposed T'aev.  
  
"Not so fast," interrupted Janeway, "This could be some natural function of the Galaxy."  
  
"Negative, Captain," Seven said, "Ensign Yar, Explain."  
  
"Nine years ago the Romulan Star Empire was experimenting with Temporal Warp Drive," T'aev hesitated for a moment, then continued, "During their first test, the Kehlah, the ship they were testing it on, was destroyed when the drive converted their warp plasma back into Matter and Antimatter. Without the Dilithium crystals, the Matter and Antimatter exploded rather than merged. Subsequently, creating a temporal anomaly. The anomaly was at first, merely a portal to the past, later it became the anomaly we are inside now."  
  
"We'll have to prevent the explosion of the Kehlah," remarked Pike.  
  
"Negative," T'aev almost yelled, "During the explosion, I was on a telemetry shuttle with my father. It was pulled into the anomaly, eighty- one years into the past. It is important that that event transpire. Otherwise my lifetime will be severely disrupted. Subsequently, so will others that I have encountered since. I believe that we can destroy the anomaly in our current timeframe at the source by using anti-chroniton particles."  
  
"I agree," added Janeway, "But how do we get the particles to the source? If we let them drift it could damage the time/space severely."  
  
"I believe it's time to put Yar's long-range transporter to the test," Kim remarked.  
  
"Long range transporter?" questioned Pike.  
  
"I have been constructing a transporter which can beam objects over thousands of light-years," explained T'aev.  
  
"Enough to get Voyager home," added Janeway, dreamily.  
  
"How does it work?" asked a very interested Pike.  
  
T'aev continued, "Early in Voyager's journey, they encountered a micro- wormhole. Using a micro-probe as a relay they successfully beamed a person from the Alpha Quadrant to the Delta Quadrant. I have been able to artificially create a micro-wormhole for short-periods of time. Short, yes, but long enough to get a transporter signal through. It has been used once in a test. I feel it is now time for a second experiment."  
  
"Approved," Janeway concurred, "When can you proceed?"  
  
"On your command, captain."  
  
"Good. We'll do it in one hour."  
  
  
  
  
  
=/\=  
  
  
  
One hour later, the Enterprise's away team was ready to beam back to their ship and T'aev was ready to destroy the anomaly. With the rest of Pike's crewmembers in the transport chamber Pike and Janeway exchanged their farewells,  
  
"It's been nice to see what the future looks like," Pike commented, "It's given me something to hope for in tomorrow."  
  
"Just remember the Prime Directive, do not share your experiences with anyone."  
  
"My crew is sworn to secrecy."  
  
"Good bye, Captain Pike, it's been nice meeting you."  
  
With that, Pike turned and stepped onto the Transporter pad.  
  
"Energize," Janeway ordered and they beamed away back to their ship, the Enterprise. She tapped her commbadge to give the order one more time for today, "Janeway to Yar, are you ready?"  
  
"Yes, captain. The anti-chroniton device is in place."  
  
"Energize," said Janeway again.  
  
And the Enterprise disappeared back to it's own time.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Section 6  
  
"Farewell to Home and Onward to the Undiscovered Country"  
  
  
  
Chapter 25  
  
"Leaving Home"  
  
  
  
It was the day of the final test on the transporter when T'aev himself would step onto the Transporter pad and see if it worked. He felt it was his responsibility. That if anything went wrong, he should be the one that would suffer. If the transporter malfunctioned he would be the one that had his particles scattered across eternity. He wore an environmental suit in case that seemingly M-class planet they had locked the coordinates onto wasn't really there or wasn't M-class at all. Here's to hoping it's not class-Y, he thought. He could end up in a pool of lava if it was. The command crew was gathered in the enhanced transporter room. Janeway, who had after a while become somewhat of a role model to him. Ensign Harry Kim, who he had, unfortunately knocked unconscious; not the best introduction. Seven of Nine, once an enemy, now an ally or perhaps… a friend. He stepped onto the transporter pad.  
  
"You sure you know how to operate this thing?" he nervously asked B'Elanna at the controls.  
  
"You wouldn't shut up about it for an hour, I think I can handle it," B'Elanna snapped back. He had been a little bit of a windbag.  
  
"Energize," he said and he felt the tingling of the transporter began and he disappeared.  
  
  
  
=/\= =/\= =/\=  
  
  
  
  
  
"So the rest of the story I believe you know, Admiral," T'aev finished, "Is there anything else you would like me to tell you?"  
  
Admiral Ross sat opposite him looking out at the Bajoran Wormhole as it opened and the Defiant emerged. The Admiral glanced down at a PADD that T'aev had been carrying from Janeway. Ross leaned back in his chair, then spoke, "Just one more question for you, Ensign. How would you like an assignment on the Enterprise?"  
  
"I'd be delighted, sir."  
  
"Well, then, the Enterprise-E is on route here and should arrive tomorrow. This PADD appears to be genuine, and since from what you tell, I can see that it speaks the truth; I hear by promote you to the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade with all the rights and privileges thereto. Congratulations, Lieutenant."  
  
"Thank You, sir!"  
  
"Dismissed."  
  
T'aev rose and, before exiting, turned looking out the window where the wormhole had been just moments before and thought about Voyager. Would they ever get home?  
  
  
  
  
  
The End, Or is it? 


End file.
